Bring Down the Stars

“The day we met in the library. You said feelings were like tonsils and if only you could rip them out just as easily.”

“I did say that.”

“Do you still think it’s true?”

His ocean eyes poured into mine. “More than ever.”

The air between us suddenly grew thin. The distance between us felt like inches instead of feet. The dream I had in Nebraska filled my memory. Kissing Connor, then opening my eyes to find Weston holding my face in his hands…

I cleared my throat and looked away, even as some deep part of me wanted to be closer. To know more.

“What?” he said softly.

“I can’t get a read on you, Weston Turner.”

“Why do you always call me Weston, instead of Wes?”

I shrugged. “Wes is usually short for Wesley. Weston is unique.”

“You’re the only one that calls me that.”

“Then I guess I’m unique, too.”

The smallest of smiles touched his lips. “You are.”

“Can I exploit my unique status to ask you another, more personal question?”

“Ask away. But I may exploit my Amherst Asshole status to refrain from answering.”

I softened my voice. “Where’s your dad?”

A flicker along his jaw as his teeth clenched. A flare of anger burned hot in the blue-green waters of his eyes, then extinguished just as quickly.

“That,” he said, “is the million-dollar question.”

“You don’t know?”

“He took off when I was seven.”

“He just…left?”

“Tried to sneak out like the fucking coward he is without having the balls to tell my mom. Or to look my sisters and me in the eye and say he was leaving without us. But we caught him.”

My eyes widened. “You caught him?”

“Ma and I,” he said. “I came down with a fever at school. Ma took me home, and we arrived just as my dad was packing up the car.”

“Oh my God.” My hand itched to grab his. “Weston… What did you do?”

He shrugged, a hard jerk of his shoulders. “He drove off without a word and I chased him.”

“You chased him.”

He nodded. “I chased him. But he didn’t stop.”

I slumped back in my chair. “God. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, well…”