I nodded. “Thank you.”
He squeezed my hand. “But I have a feeling you have some unfinished business here.”
I frowned. “Like what?”
He gave me one of his nice try looks. “Your friend Cade.”
I looked away at the mention of his name. But Anson wasn’t having any of it. He turned my chin to look at him.
“By the look on his face the other day, he wasn’t expecting me.”
“Cade is an old friend.”
“The way he looks at you makes me want to get myself a body guard,” he said with a half-smile. His humor faded. “And the way you look at him makes me realize that you and I were never going to work out.”
“What do you mean?”
His face was gentle. “There was always something holding you back. Something stopping you from giving everything you had to our relationship. And now I see that it was him.”
I looked away because I felt guilty. He was right. I was never able to give myself to him, wholly, because if I was being really honest, I gave my heart to a boy a long time ago. And he still had it.
I just wasn’t ready to admit it out loud.
“It’s complicated,” I said.
“Does it need to be?”
They announced Anson’s flight and it was the perfect opportunity to change the subject. “You’d better go, or you will miss your plane.”
He looked at me like I was a lost cause. And maybe I was. Because even though I knew what he said was true, I still couldn’t admit it to anyone. It was almost as if I had spent so long running from Cade I didn’t know how to stop.
“If he is what you want, Indy, then don’t waste any more time.” He held me by the shoulders and fixed me with one of his fierce stares. “Because life is short and you never know when it’s going to end. If he is your chance at happiness, then you run to him and you be with him. Do you understand me, Indy? You run as fast as you can in his direction.”
And with those parting words of wisdom, Anson picked up his overnight bag and left Destiny.
INDY—Aged 17
Then
Anger flared in my chest and my cheeks reddened. I didn’t want to go to Cavalry Hill. I mean, what the hell? It was supposed to be a simple movie date. I had no desire to make out with Tommy.
My hands fisted on my lap. When he’d asked me where I’d like to go, I hadn’t been sure. I just knew I didn’t want to go home because Cade would be in his bedroom with Mallory, and my stupid teenage heart couldn’t stand the idea of sitting yards away from them while he kissed her.
Now I was at Cavalry Hill with a boy who looked like he belonged in a Ralph Lauren commercial.
“Why are we here?” I asked as Tommy pulled his car into a parking space.
He just grinned that big, movie-star smile that made Laura Hope swoon in gym class.
It had nothing on Cade’s beautiful, dimpled grin.
“Why not? The view is incredible,” he replied as he slid his arm along the back of the seat. “I thought we could talk. Get to know each other better. We don’t really get to do that at school. It’s nice to get you alone.”
“Alone?”
“Without Cade and Isaac and Abby.”
When he said it, it suddenly occurred to me that I was alone. Very alone. With Tommy Baker. He was a big guy. Athletic and strong. While I was petite like my mama. It was then I realized I had just put myself in a very risky situation.
“I think we’d better be getting back,” I said, shifting awkwardly in my seat.
“Why? This is nice.”
My chest started to tingle.
“Sure. But it’s getting late.”
“Come on, relax,” he insisted. “It’s early.”
Rain splattered across the windshield.
“We can’t see anything because of the rain,” I said. “Let’s come back another time. When we have a better view.”
“Fuck the view.” His voice, which had been charming up until now, suddenly had a hard bite to it. And it alarmed me.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“I said fuck the view.” He turned to look at me and his eyes were dark. “I’m not here for the view.”
I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. I looked away from him and folded my arms in a deliberate attempt to show him that I wasn’t afraid of him.
“Take me home,” I demanded.
That was the moment Tommy Baker decided to take it to the next level. He launched at me, pushing himself onto me, his big arms holding me prisoner as he forced his lips to mine. I jerked my head away from his wet mouth.
“Get off me,” I yelled. “Get the fuck off me!”
I struggled, but he was too strong. I felt powerless as he used his strength to hold me still.