aren’t going to happen. It’s over Libby. He had fun, you had fun, but don’t you read the tabloids? This happens al the time. He has more important things to do than hang out with some girl from Hicksvile.”
“That’s not true, he loves me,” she cried.
“Whoa. Back up. What fantasy world are you living in? What makes you think someone like Peter would be in love with you? He has everything. He doesn’t need you and he’s done hanging out in your smal town world. It’s over. Now you need to go crawl back in your little shed. Peter doesn’t want you anymore.”
“Garrett, please, don’t do this. I need to talk to Peter. He would never break up this way. He’s better than that.” She pleaded for a chance to talk with Peter one last time.
“Listen up. You have no idea how important he is in this industry. He has far more meaningful things to do than run off to you al the time. You’re holding him back. So suck it up and get over yourself. You were lucky to know him at al.” Her nerves were at a breaking point. One more strain would split the thread and she would unravel. If what Garrett said was true, she’d never speak to Peter again. He was right; she was lucky to have known Peter. He changed her world for the better. She prayed Garrett was wrong, but what if he wasn’t? Tears roled down her face. She tried to hold herself together. If Peter wanted to break up, she didn’t want to be the girl who begged and never let go. He’d been so good to her and he deserved better.
“Do me one favor?” She asked.
“I told you, he doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“I know, just give him a message, please.” Libby pleaded as she hid next to the barn behind the house.
“What?” he answered flatly.
She swiped the tears with her arm.
“Tel him,” she paused trying to find the right words. “Tel him, he saved me. And one more thing. Tel him, it’s okay, I get it.” She knew it sounded stupid, but it was the truth. He’d saved her from the depths of depression. Tears poured down her face and her nose ran. She never expected they’d last forever, but, stil, how could he end it like this?
Garrett stayed silent on the other end.
“Garrett? Please tel him for me. Please.” She sobbed, gulping for breath.
“Yeah, whatever. I gotta go.”
The phone clicked dead.
She wanted to cal back, but knew Garrett wouldn’t put her through. She leaned against the side of the barn and covered her face with her hands. A tidal wave of anguish crashed over her. She slid into the tal grass, sobs of grief escaped. Life couldn’t possibly get any worse. She shouldn’t have assumed a life with Peter could be real. It was a fantasy now ripped apart.
Chapter 15
Peter slid his room key in the door, a soft click and a green light appeared. He let himself in the hotel suite to find Garrett alone with a satisfied smirk on his face.
“What’s up?” Peter asked.
“Taking care of some business,” Garrett stared at Peter and didn’t look away.
Peter looked around the cluttered desk and dresser. “Have you seen my phone, I thought it was in my coat, but I can’t find it.”
“It’s probably on the bus.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Something about Garrett seemed odd, but Peter brushed it off. He wanted to find his phone and cal Libby.
# # #
Huddled against the barn, huge gulping breaths racked Libby’s body. Locked in her private misery she didn’t hear Aunt Marge approach.
“What are you doing our here?” Aunt Marge held a shotgun at her side.
Libby looked up from the frozen ground. Her lower lip shook as her tear-filed eyes rested on the weapon. What was Aunt Marge doing with a shotgun? For a split second she thought about using it on herself; certainly the pain would be less than she felt right now.
“Speak up.” Her aunt’s piercing words brought Libby back around. “You should be on the bus to school, not lurking around my barn. What are you looking for?” Aunt Marge’s eyes narrowed.
“What did you see?”
“Peter broke up with me,” she uttered, her voice breaking. A new onslaught of tears and hiccups erupted.
“Good. Now maybe you’l pay attention when I tel you something. He was a snooping rich boy nosing around where he didn’t belong. I knew this would happen. You’re too damned stubborn to listen to me, you think