After We Collided (After 2)

Kimberly and Christian are leaning into each other in the hall when I step off of the elevator. He whispers something into her ear and she giggles before he tucks her hair behind her ear and smiles widely as he kisses her, both of them still smiling.

I hurry to my office to call my mother, figuring it’s time, but she doesn’t answer. The manuscript I begin to read pisses me off within the first five pages. When I skim through the last few pages, I see I do and sigh. I’m sick of the same old story: girl meets boy, boy loves her, one problem gets in the way, they make up, get married, have kids, the end. I toss the pages into the trash without reading further. I feel bad for not giving it much of a chance, but it’s not working for me.

I need a realistic story, where there are real problems, more than one fight, and even a breakup. A real one. People hurt each other and keep coming back for more . . . including me, of course. I realize this now.

Christian walks past my office and I take a deep breath before getting up to follow him. I smooth my skirt and try to practice what to say to him about Seattle. I hope Hardin didn’t ruin my chance to go.

“Mr. Vance?” I knock lightly at his door.

“Tessa? Come on in,” he says with a smile.

“Sorry for bothering you, but I was wondering if you have a few minutes to talk about something?” I ask, and he waves for me to sit down. “I was wondering about Seattle, if there’s any chance that I could transfer there? I understand if it’s too late, but I’d really like to go, and Trevor mentioned it to me and I was just thinking that it could be a really great opportunity for me if—”

Christian raises his hand and laughs, stopping me. “You really want to go?” he asks with a smile. “Seattle’s a much different place from here.” His green eyes are soft, but I get the feeling he isn’t convinced.

“Yeah, I’m positive. I really would love to go . . .” I would. I honestly would. Wouldn’t I?

“And Hardin? Would he be coming along?” He pulls at the knot on his tie, loosening the printed material around his neck.

Should I tell him that Hardin refuses to go? That his place in my future is as unsure as it could be and he’s stubborn and paranoid? Instead I go with “We’re still discussing.”

Vance meets my eyes. “I would love to bring you to Seattle with us.” Then after a beat he adds, “Hardin, too. He can tag along, maybe even get his old job back,” Christian says, then laughs. “If he can keep his mouth shut.”

“Really?”

“Yes, of course. You should have spoken up sooner.” He plays with his tie a little longer before completely removing it and laying it on his desk.

“Thank you so much! I really appreciate it,” I say and mean it.

“Do you have any idea when you’ll be ready to go? Kim, Trevor, and myself will be leaving in about two weeks, but you can join us whenever you’re ready. I know you have to transfer colleges. I’ll work with you as much as I can.”

“Two weeks should be good,” I answer before I can think about it.

“Great, this is just great. Kim will be happier than ever.” He smiles and I watch his eyes shift to the picture of Kimberly and Smith on his desk.

“Thank you again, this means so much to me,” I tell him before leaving his office. Seattle. Two weeks. I’m moving to Seattle in two freaking weeks. I’m ready.

Aren’t I?

Of course I am, I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. I just never expected it to happen so soon.

Chapter one hundred and ten

TESSA

I wait outside of Zed’s apartment, hoping he won’t be too much longer. I really need to talk to him, and he said he was on his way home from work. I stopped to grab a coffee on my way to kill some time. After waiting a few minutes, he pulls up, his truck blaring something amazingly loud. When he climbs out of it, he looks so good dressed in black jeans and a red T-shirt with cutoff sleeves that I’m momentarily distracted from my purpose.

“Tessa!” he says with a big smile and invites me inside. After getting me another coffee and himself a soda, we go into the living room.

“Zed, I have something to tell you, I think. But I want to tell you something else first,” I say.

He puts his hands behind his head and leans against the back of the couch. “Is it about the party?”

“You went?” I ask, putting my news on hold. I sit down on the chair across from the couch.

“Yeah, for a while, but once those strippers showed up, I left.” Zed rubs the back of his neck. My breath is lost.

“Strippers?” I croak, sitting my cup of coffee on the table before I drop the hot liquid onto my lap.

“Yeah, everyone was so wasted, and on top of that they had strippers. That’s not my thing, so I got out of there.” He shrugs.

I was baking Hardin a cake and planning to spend his birthday with him while he was getting wasted with strippers?

“Did anything else happen at the party?” I ask, changing the subject again. I can’t get the strippers out of my head. How could Hardin stand me up for that?

“Not really, it was just the typical party. Have you talked to Hardin?” he asks, his eyes focused on his can of soda as his finger pushes the tab back and forth.

“No, I . . .” I don’t want to admit that he stood me up.

“What were you going to say?” Zed questions.

“He said he was going to come over but he didn’t show.”

“That’s low.” He shakes his head.

“I know, and you know what the worst part is? That we had a really good time on our date and I thought he was really going to start putting me first.” Zed’s eyes are full of sympathy when I look at him.