The tiniest sliver of hope bursts inside of me. If Finn’s so sure about this, maybe I should believe him.
I take off in a jog to my car and head for Callum’s condo. With each mile I clock, my breath quickens. I speed along the road, taking each turn and sharp corner like I’m a deranged race car driver. It’s not reckless driving; it’s purposeful. I’ve got a man to declare my love for. I ease my foot off the gas pedal when I reach ten miles past the speed limit. I highly doubt that if I were pulled over for speeding, the officer would care for my excuse of breaking the law in the name of love. I can just imagine the eye roll before the officer sternly scrawls my ticket.
I dial it back to the speed limit and take a deep breath. My heart is racing, my hands are clammier than ever, and I’m gripping onto my steering wheel like I’m trying to strangle it.
When I pull up to his street, I force myself to take another deep breath. I spot his car in the driveway, and my heartbeat takes on a frenzied pace. Should I blurt “I love you” when I see him? Should I start off with a calm and casual, “Hello, how are you?” instead? Should I run up and kiss him first?
“It’s okay,” I coach myself with a whisper. The thundering in my chest and all my warring thoughts come to a halt. The words will come to me when I see him.
I zero in on the door to his condo. Slowly, I peel my hands off the steering wheel and reach for my car door handle.
Just then his condo door opens. Out walks a stunning redhead. My hand freezes on the handle of my door, and my heart seizes in my chest. He follows closely behind, the grin on his face just as wide as hers.
This time when I try to breathe, the air lodges in my throat, like I’m choking on a piece of cement. It’s like I’m paralyzed, unable to cry or scream, even though my body aches to do both. But all I can do is gawk with unblinking, unbelieving eyes at the scene in front of me.
Halfway to his car, she stops to show him something on her phone. A warm breeze swoops up her fiery locks. She looks like a beauty queen with her porcelain skin, those delicate facial features, and killer curves. The kind of woman both men and women stop dead in their tracks to stare at because you wouldn’t believe a human being could look so beautiful unless you saw it with your own eyes.
I stare not in envy, but in utter sadness. Because the sight of this gorgeous woman means one thing: I’m too late.
The two stand close to each other, close enough to let me know that this isn’t a friend. No matter what Finn thinks about Callum’s feelings for me, this is someone special.
Seconds later, the two throw their heads back in laughter. A funny video or text message, I presume. They stand and chat, still smiling, still laughing. And I watch it all, slinking low in my seat, like an obsessed stalker who can’t believe her eyes.
But I have to believe it. Because it’s true.
Callum is off the market. It wouldn’t matter if I ran up and kissed him, then told him I loved him. He’s no longer available. He’s with her now because I was too much of a closed-off jerk to recognize what I could have had when he offered it to me.
And because of that, he will never, ever be mine.
He leads her with his hand on the small of her back to the car and opens the door for her. I wait until they’re both in before I peel out on the road, speeding away in a cloud of burnt rubber. The toxic stench assaults my nostrils every time I take a breath, but I don’t care. I just need to get the hell away from here as fast as I can.
I try to swallow back the sob at the back of my throat. Hot tears crowd my eyes until I can’t hold them back any longer. I blink, and it’s like a dam breaking.
It’s not like there’s anyone watching me. I’m alone in the car, speeding to nowhere in particular, and now there’s a rock in my stomach. It’s regret and sadness balled