have never even been an “us” if not for coincidental timing.
I mean, what were the chances? How is it that I even heard about a job where Andrew’s estranged brother just happened to live? But then I remember Calloway telling me that a “kid” in town had recommended posting the ad in his old college newspaper. One of the nameless kids in town. Bennet.
Still, what were the odds I would be the one to answer the ad? It’s like the gods were against me.
Or for me, needles a tiny voice in my head. It’s then that my chest swells with the urge to tell Andrew to turn around, to go back. And step on it! But no sooner does the thought cross my mind than it leaves me. Bennet still should have told me the truth. He should have come.
There will be no Jane Austen ending for this girl. This is real life. Time for me to start acting like it.
Andrew talks incessantly for the first hour about all that I missed while I was away. Eventually I lay my head against the window and doze off. When we finally pull into my driveway at three o’clock in the afternoon, I have a raging headache and a dangerously full bladder. Mom comes running out of the house, her eyes worried and her arms wide in anticipation of a hug.
“Katherine!” she exclaims. “How’s my birthday girl?”
Despite her enthusiastic words, the corners of her eyes wrinkle. I get the distinct feeling that Andrew called to give her a full account of last night. He unloads my bags and carries them into the house while I bypass Mom and run for the bathroom, locking the door. I can barely make out their conversation in the hallway outside.
Mom: “Is she okay?”
Andrew: “Yeah, thank God.”
Mom: “Do you think she needs to see a doctor?”
Andrew: “No, she just has some bruises and cuts on her hands. She’s pretty shaken up still, though. I think sleep is the best thing for her right now.”
Taking that as my stage direction, I come out of the bathroom to find them still standing by the front door where I left them. “I’m going to go to bed, Mom. Can we talk later?”
“Sure,” she says, but she sounds disappointed.
“Thanks. I’m exhausted.”
She reaches toward me. I give her a quick hug and kiss before I pull away and hit the stairs at a run.
There are a few footsteps in the downstairs hallway, then Andrew says, “I’ll come back and check on her in a couple hours.”
“In that case,” Mom says, “maybe you’d like to join us for dinner? I’m making my husband’s favorite, chicken divan.”
From upstairs, I cringe. Why does she have to bring Dad into everything?
“Maybe next time?” Andrew says.
I can’t hear Mom’s response, but at least thirty seconds pass before I hear Andrew’s car pull away. With that, I go into my bedroom and close the door. I flop down on the bed and pull the blanket over my head.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Katherine
I sleep straight through to morning.
When I wake, there’s a text from last night. It’s from Natalie, and she’s pissed.
Natalie: what the hell, kate??? you get taken down by a freaking BEAR and now you’re gone? just like that?
When I hadn’t responded, she’d come at me again.
Natalie: i’ll have you know the 4:30 ferry left at 4:37 today. did you read that right? 4:30-SEVEN! i was late returning the twinkle lights to the party supply store. i lost my deposit. what the hell did you say to bennet? he’s a freaking DISASTER!
I stare at that second text for a long time. Natalie can sure pack a lot in. But she’s wrong about one thing. I didn’t say anything to him. I didn’t even say good-bye.
There’s one more text. It came in around midnight.
Natalie: fine. don’t answer me. let ben go ape-shit all over town. even alli’s afraid to get near him.
At first I’m confused by her text. Why should he go ape-shit? He didn’t even come to check on me, and he was doing that sort of thing long before our first kiss. Then I feel sorry. I shouldn’t have left so quickly. If Bennet wasn’t going to come to me, I could have gone to him.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda.
No. I have to trust my instincts. Bennet taught me that. That, and so many other things.
I think I’m going to be sick.
I wish I could call Macie. But she won’t be back from Tibet for another two weeks.