Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Tomorrow, I had to tell her we were leaving. She’d be ready to go. The farther we got away from Miami, the better for her. I’d spent today counting the money we had in the cookie jar, and I’d gone to the pawnshop and sold the only piece of gold jewelry I owned. It was a necklace that Micah had given me for my last birthday. It had brought in two hundred dollars, which was more than I’d expected.
The rent on the lot was caught up, and I’d let them know we would be gone in the next few days. The electricity and water were paid. Everything was in order. I had tried to call Silas, but I’d gotten his answering service and left a message for him to call me, but he hadn’t done so. I felt guilty, leaving him like this, but my mental health could not stay here any longer.
The window lit up from headlights, and I moved over to watch the vehicle pull in beside mine. Who was that? Micah didn’t own a car. The only car that had come here I doubted I would see again. I grabbed the metal baseball bat I kept by the door and waited.
The shadowed outline of a cowboy hat had me squinting. I recognized the sexy saunter as the figure neared.
What was he doing here? I was torn between wanting to see him and hating that I had to see him.
Glancing back at Gypsi, I knew I didn’t want her to hear what he had to say.
I set the bat down and opened the door, then stepped out, closing it quickly behind me.
Garrett paused a few feet from the camper as I took the two steps until my bare feet hit the patch of damp grass. I’d not put on shoes. His showing up here had me rattled.
“What do you want?” I asked, glaring at him.
“You,” he replied.
A humorless, pained laugh erupted from me. How could he come here and say something like that? He’d had another woman all ready to take my place the moment I walked out.
“What? Don’t tell me that Loxley has dropped you before she got her trip to the derby?” The venom, jealousy, hurt were all there in my voice. I couldn’t mask them, and I didn’t care to.
The agonized shadow that fell over his gaze surprised me.
“Fawn—” he began, and I held up my hand to stop him.
“Garrett, listen, I can’t take this anymore. Whatever you came here to say, don’t. Please. If you ever felt even a tiny emotion toward me, then just turn and leave. I’ll be gone tomorrow, and you can go on with your life, pretending like I never existed.” Somehow, by the grace of God, I had said all that without cracking or bursting into tears. It was what he needed to hear. What I had to say for my own sanity. But it felt as if I were in that lounge again, listening to Justin go on about Loxley.
Garrett stalked toward me with a fierce expression. I stilled as he reached me. My pulse quickened as he stared down at me.
“You aren’t leaving. I’ll fucking follow you. I’ll chain you to my goddamn bed if I have to,” he hissed through his teeth and shook his head. “Dammit, Fawn, I came here to ask for forgiveness. Plead with you for it if I have to. I had it all planned out. I was going to be sweet and charming. Then, you tell me you’re leaving. I can’t—I can’t let you leave me. I need you.”
No, no, no. Shut up, Garrett Hughes.
I fought back tears. He was going to make me break. Forget how much he’d hurt me. Forget why I’d walked away to begin with.
“You replaced me before the sun went down, it seems. I don’t think you need me. In fact, I don’t think you need anyone.”
The clear torment in his eyes caused me to pause. That didn’t fit with the man I knew. He looked almost as broken as I felt.
“The man I am, the man I was raised to be, doesn’t accept the word no. He doesn’t accept rebellion or disobedience. I demand respect, complete compliance, and even fear. It’s who I am. Who I was born to be. But in the four days since you left me, I’ve realized that I have an exception. You. You make me better, Fawn. You make me happy. I’ve never fucking known happiness until you. I can’t just forget about you. Us. I thought moving on immediately would work, but I’m not even able to be in the same room as the woman I’m supposedly taking to the derby as my date. She’s not you. No one will ever be you. And all I want in this goddamn world is you.” He let out a long, heavy sigh. His eyes never leaving mine.