Misconception (Coming Home)

I have a choice to make. Stay and see if this can take off or leave and hope like hell she’s still single when I get home in twelve long months.

“Hudson? Are you still there?” Raven asks.

“I’m here,” I say, swallowing back the emotions fighting their way to the surface.

“So do you need anything?” she asks again.

Riley. I need Riley. “N-No.” I clear my throat. “I’m good. I’ll see you there.” Ending the call, I slide my phone back into my pocket and force my feet to move toward the truck. Last night is starting to feel like a dream. A fantasy that played out like a vivid movie in my mind. Leaving her and not seeing this through tears me up inside, but then on the flip side of that, the thought of staying and her rejecting me again hurts even worse.

I made a commitment to Clay and the organization, and I’m going to follow through with it. I’m going to Guatemala for a year, and when I come back, Riley won’t be able to hide from me. We will talk about last night, and if I’m lucky, she’ll finally be mine.

For real this time.

Gripping the wheel, I stare at her front door, willing it to open. Reaching into my pocket, I try her phone one last time, and I’m not surprised when it goes to voice mail. Out of frustration, I hang up instead of leaving a message. I don’t want to talk to her fucking voice mail. I want to talk to her. I hate that we’re leaving things between us like this, but it’s time for me to go. With my heart beating like a drum in my chest and my sweaty palms gripping the wheel, I drive away from her.

By the time I arrive at Clayton’s, the driveway is full. Our close friends and our parents are here to give us a proper send-off. Mom’s words, not mine. She conspired with Clayton’s mom to organize this little meeting. Schooling my features, I place a fake-ass smile on my face, grab my keys, and exit the truck. My parents will be driving it back to my place and parking it inside, while Clayton’s dad will be taking us to the airport. It’s all perfectly planned. The only thing missing is Riley.

My feet feel filled with lead as I approach the crowd.

“There he is!” my dad boasts. “We were starting to think you changed your mind,” he teases.

If he only knew how close he was. “Nah, just crashed hard after a few beers and running a little behind.”

“How did you get home last night?” Mom asks.

Shit. I forgot that I rode to the party with them and was supposed to call for a ride back. “Uh, Riles. She was leaving, and I was dead on my feet, so I asked her for a ride.” That sounded believable enough, right? Riley and I were friends and her giving me a ride isn’t something that would throw up red flags, well, not to anyone but her twin sister. Raven eyes me with suspicion, but I keep my face neutral and pretend I don’t notice.

A part of me thinks she would be thrilled if Riley and I were to get together. The other part of me fears I’ll lose my best friend. It’s the asshole in me that thinks that it would be worth it if Riley were mine. Surely, Raven would come around once she saw what her sister meant to me.

Shaking out of my thoughts, I turn back to the group. “You ready for this, man?” I ask Clayton.

He gives me a slow nod, his eyes darting to Raven and then back to me. He’s struggling, and I know the feeling all too well. He should be happy his Burke twin showed up to say goodbye. Mine is locked away in her house, refusing to face the reality of the night we shared together.

“Hudson.” Mom calls my name, and I turn to give her my full attention. She gives me a soft smile as I step toward her and wrap her in a hug. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll be back before you know it,” I tell her.

“Now I know how my momma felt when I left for the Peace Corps,” she says with a sad smile. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “Anyway,” she says, waving her hand in the air. “I got you something.”

“Mom, you know we’re supposed to pack light, and you’re already taking care of my house and picking up my slack with the farm and the feed mill while I’m gone.”

“Oh, that’s nothing. We’re Flemings. That’s what we do. This is just a small gift.” She grabs the small gift bag from next to her feet, which I obviously hadn’t noticed. “Here.” She hands it to me as Dad joins us, sliding his arm around Mom’s shoulders and kissing her temple.