I should go straight to the airport.
“Victoria?”
I probably should just go straight to the airport.
Carter grabs my neck and waist as he kisses me. I’m caught off guard, but he’s desperate to give me everything with this kiss, and slowly, I let him into my world of pain. I let him know how scared I am. As our tongues dance together, I tell him that I like him, too.
He slowly breaks away. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
I shake my head and stay in his arms for a second longer. If I tell him what’s going on, I’ll start crying, and then he’ll insist on coming with me. But he can’t. He needs to stay here, and I have to go.
“I just have to go. Tell Lily that I quit. That a family thing came up.”
And then I walk away from what I know is a man I could love with every fiber of my being. I just don’t know if he will still be waiting for me when I get back from fixing my family.
12
Carter
I should have run after Victoria.
I should have chased her down and forced her to talk to me. Or just followed her until she was ready to tell me what was going on.
But I didn’t.
I let her go. And, now, I don’t know what’s going on. Is this the end? Is she coming back?
The hug and kiss she gave me before she left sure didn’t feel like the end. It felt like the beginning. It felt like she needed me, but then she just left.
The door to the apartment opens, and I jump off the couch I’ve been sitting on most of the afternoon, waiting for Victoria to come back. All of her stuff is still here, so she must be coming back soon.
“Victoria, I’m sorry,” I say, running to the door.
Logan raises an eyebrow at me as he enters. “Why are you apologizing to my sister?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Because I fucked up.”
Logan walks past me toward the kitchen. He opens the fridge, staring at it.
“Aren’t you going to kill me for hurting your sister?” I ask reluctantly.
He slams the door shut with anger and rage I was expecting. I know he is going to hit me, and I deserve it. I should never have agreed to date Lily while being with Victoria. Even on a pretend basis. I knew it would eventually hurt her.
“No.”
“No?”
He shakes his head. “You might have fucked up, but I’ve always thought you and Victoria were meant for each other. I think you would make each other better.”
I frown. “I hurt her pretty bad. I deserve to be punched or at least thrown out of your apartment or something.”
“You’re probably right. But, lucky for you, I’m not looking for a fight today.”
That’s when I realize that the look on Logan’s face isn’t just rage and anger. It’s fear and sadness. Victoria had a similar look before she left.
“What’s going on? Victoria just upped and left today, and I have no idea where she is going or when she’s coming back.”
“She’s not coming back.”
“Then, where is she? I’ll go to her.”
Logan’s head drops. “Come get a drink with me. I don’t have shit in this apartment. Then, maybe I won’t end up killing you.”
“So, what did you do to piss off my sister?” Logan asks after the bartender gives us our beers.
“I made a kiss between me and my pretend girlfriend a little too believable.”
Logan laughs. “I really should kick your ass.”
I shrug and take a drink of my beer.
“I would, but I don’t think Victoria is mad at you because of that.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Okay, I’m sure she isn’t happy that you kissed another woman even though it was needed to pull off her stupid scheme. I just mean that she has a lot more important things going on right now.”
“And that is?”
“Our sister, Amber, is sick. She has depression. But our idiot mother made it worse by giving her some of her prescription pain killers. Amber overdosed.”
“I’m sorry.”
Logan takes another long drink of his beer. “Thanks. I just wish I could do more. I can’t take off work. I’m horrible with kids. Well, beyond the fun play stuff, I don’t know how to actually take care of a kid.”
I remember now that Amber has a daughter. I’ve only met her a couple of times when she was a baby.
“Sailor’s amazing, and Amber is great with her when she’s well. When the depression takes over again, Victoria always