Misunderstandings (Woodfalls Girls 2)

“What do you mean, thought?” he teased, winking at me. My stomach fluttered. Even after two years, he couldn’t help being a flirt.

“Ha, we better slide over a second table so your ego has a place to sit.”

“Admit it. You wanted me. Even at that moment,” he said, pulling me in close for a kiss.

“More than I was willing to admit,” I finally confessed.

“I knew it,” he crowed, pumping his fist in the air.

“Oh lord. Don’t make me regret telling you that.”

“I’ll tell you a secret,” he said, slinging his arm across my shoulders as we strolled away from the café. He leaned in and placed his lips close to my ear. “I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen when you gave me a piece of your mind that day. I fell for you hook, line, and sinker. I had to force myself not to follow you like a lovesick puppy when you stomped away.” His words made my heart clench.

“That’s just because you wanted to get in my pants,” I said, keeping the conversation playful. I couldn’t afford to let myself dwell on our impending separation.

“Well, that too,” he laughed, placing a soft kiss on my temple.

I tried laughing with him, but it was a forced effort.

We kept things light as we soaked up the last of our remaining time together. I could tell it was difficult for us both when Wednesday showed up like an unwanted bill that was due immediately.

Justin drove me to the airport that morning. We could try to act differently, but the mood was somber. I stared blindly out the window, not paying attention to the passing landscape.

My heart felt like a brick with each mile. I had no idea how I could walk away from him again. We were both silent as he pulled his jeep into the parking garage and unloaded my bags. I gripped his free hand as we walked inside, not ready to let go.

Eventually, we hit the security checkpoint and he could no longer accompany me.

“I’ll call you tonight,” he said, cupping my face.

I nodded as my eyes began to well up. I felt like I needed to say something more

“I’m here—whatever you decide,” he said reassuringly, pulling me into his arms. It was as if he could read my thoughts.

“I’ll never regret this week,” I murmured, burying my head in his chest.

“Neither will I,” he answered, stroking my back.

Unable to stand the pain any longer, I tipped my head back and captured his lips before turning and walking away. I told myself I wouldn’t look back. That it would only make it hurt more, but I couldn’t help myself. He was standing off to the side, watching me. It threatened to bring me to my knees, but I blew him a kiss. With each step after that, I had to fight the urge to turn and run back to him. This was the second time I’d walked away from him and the finality of it was crushing.

35.

Present Day

Woodfalls was covered in an unseasonably early blanket of snow when I drove my car down Main Street past my apartment. I was mentally and physically exhausted from my trip and would have liked nothing more than to curl up in a ball on my bed, but I knew Tressa would kill me if I didn’t come by to see her first.

I pulled into her driveway and couldn’t help smiling at the small obscene snowman on the front lawn. The carrot nose had been moved down below his belly, obviously the handiwork of Tressa’s thirteen-year-old brother, Chris, and most likely his partner in crime, John. Putting my car in park, I climbed from my car, smiling again when I noticed the backside of the snowman resembled a nude person.

Without bothering to ring the doorbell, I opened the front door to Tressa’s house.

“Brittni, you’re back,” Stephenie, Tressa’s mom, greeted me, looking up from the blanket she was crocheting.

“I just got in. Is Tressa in her room?”

“Yeah. She missed you while you were gone,” she answered.

I nodded but didn’t answer as I took the stairs two at a time up to Tressa’s room. Without knocking, I pushed open the door.

“Black, I like,” I said, taking in her recently dyed hair.