Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99797 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99797 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 499(@200wpm)___ 399(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Pulling into her driveway, I pulled off the side of the road and parked. Her house was about a half-mile down the dirt driveway. “Harley, have you thought about what we’re going to do for money? I mean, for traveling and all of that?”
Her response was not what I was expecting.
“This isn’t going to work, Tripp.”
“What isn’t going to work?”
Her head jerked up and our eyes locked. “You leaving Oak Springs. Us traveling the world. I’m making you give up a dream and that isn’t fair.”
“Harley, we can make it work. There’s just some things we have to figure out. We’ll both be in debt. How long are you wanting to travel for? We need to plan it out. That’s all.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to plan it all out. That’s the adventure part of it, that’s what makes it so thrilling. But that’s not how you live your life. You’re a planner and what I want is the opposite of planning. I want to live and be in the moment.”
My brows pulled together, the gravity of her words weighing down my thoughts. “I can do it, Harley.”
Her eyes pooled with the threat of tears. When her chin started to tremble, I went to pull her toward me, but she jerked away.
Her voice was barely audible as she whispered, “This won’t work. You’ll end up hating me.”
My heart fell to my stomach.
Harley jumped out of my truck, and I followed her.
“What in the fuck are you trying to say?” I demanded.
“Maybe we should take a break. Until after graduation.”
I was nearly knocked onto my ass. Surely, I wasn’t hearing what I thought she was telling me. I had law school, graduation, an internship, a partnership in my future… Hell, I had Harley and she was the reason for my future. She was my future.
“Take a break? Are you fucking insane? I love you and I’m not walking away from this. I’ve already told you, we can make this work. We’ll figure it out and I’ll…I’ll start a law practice after we travel some.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I, um, I met someone, at school. He…he’s just a friend, but we have been talking and he wants the same things I want. I can’t…pretend like everything is okay with us when we want such different things.”
It felt like someone had just sucker-punched me in the stomach. “Harley, I just fucking told you! I’ll do whatever you want. I just want you.”
I watched tears roll down her cheeks. She slowly shook her head.
“It won’t work, Tripp. Maybe I’m…developing feelings for him. I don’t know. I think we need to take a break, so I can work this all out in my head.”
My entire world felt like it was falling apart. The only woman I’d ever loved was standing before me dropping the biggest bomb, and all I could do was stand here, angry and yet willing to beg her to stay with me.
“Have you been cheating on me?”
Her chin trembled, and she looked away from me for a quick moment. She dragged in a shaky breath before facing me again.
“I’m not cheating. I mean…I haven’t acted on my feelings. I’m confused.”
All I could do was stare at her. “I can’t believe you would do this to me.”
She opened her mouth, regret filling her emerald eyes. “Tripp, wait. I…I…I can’t do this!”
Harley turned away and ran as fast as she could down the driveway while I stood there. Stunned. Unable to move.
“Harley!” I shouted.
She ran faster. Never once looking back.
My legs trembled as I forced them to take a few steps. With as much energy as I could muster, I cried out after her.
“Harley! Harley! You can’t go. Please, please don’t go!”
Falling to my knees, I dropped my head and let the tears fall. I felt the anguish of what had just happened when a few short hours ago we had—no, I had— been planning our future and staring at an engagement ring that Harley would one day wear.
“Why, Harley?” I whispered.
Present day
“Hey, you seem a little withdrawn. You okay?”
I forced a smile and nodded. Mallory was sitting across the table, smiling. We’d been dating since December. I liked her and her daughter Laney a lot. She was the first woman who had actually made me feel like I was possibly getting over Harley. That was, of course, until Harley came back to town.
“A long day at work, that’s all.”
“You still planning on making the announcement tomorrow?” she asked.
“I am.”
She started to chew on the left side of her bottom lip. “Do you want me there?”
My chest squeezed. I’d always pictured Harley standing next to me when I made the announcement of running for mayor. It was a fair question from Mallory, I guess. Four months of exclusive dating… I hadn’t done that since Corina, and honestly, after the first month, it had been clear to both of us that we were better off as friends. Especially since she was in love with my brother, Mitchell.