over. I wanted us to stop fighting and maybe talk things through at my apartment because, right now, talking was not happening, just a lot of narrowed glares and blank stares into the highway in front of us. I was afraid that anything I said, I’d regret. I didn’t want to let emotions lead our conversations. I was usually composed. It was one of my qualities that I valued the most.
But with Charlie, that all flew out the door.
Normally, I would have pushed it but not tonight.
We didn’t even discuss the subject of Sandy, which, in my opinion, was a nonissue because it felt like years and years ago when we had been together.
What I wanted to concentrate on was the here and now and the future, but right now, our future looked bleak.
Maybe I could ask her if we could try long distance—but how would that work? She would never move, and neither would I. So, we were at a stalemate.
I parked in front of her house, a house that Richard had bought—my ex-girlfriend’s father. How was this even a possibility? How could I have predicted this?
When she reached for the door handle, I grabbed her other hand.
“Hey.”
Her eyes were tired, sad even, and shit, it hit me directly in the chest.
“Charlie, you did an amazing job today. Your exhibit was a great success. Nui said she’d be reaching out to you within the next few days to feature you on her blog.”
She nodded, but there was a blank expression in her eyes. “Thanks for driving me home.”
She pushed the door open, but I wasn’t ready to let her go … not yet.
“Charlie.”
She turned toward me, one foot already on the pavement.
“I love you.” Wasn’t that the truth though?
After today, I knew that everything would change between us, and she had to know that above all things. That was one thing I wanted her to remember. The one thing that I wanted to highlight was that I loved her.
She leaned back in the car and pressed her lips to mine.
It was a long, lingering kiss, but my stomach dropped, and it kept on going.
Because it wasn’t a kiss good night. It felt like a kiss good-bye.
Charlie
I thought things couldn’t get any worse, but as I stomped back to the pool house, I saw Sandy sitting on a bench by the pool.
I raised a hand and walked past her. “I don’t want to hear it. Not fucking today, okay?”
I couldn’t take anymore, not without breaking down any further.
Just as I inserted the key into the door, she said, “He’ll never stay for you. As much as he loves you or says he does, he won’t stay. I should know. Years ago, I was where you are.”
I gritted my teeth, having enough of her bullying bullshit.
“What happens between me and Connor is none of your business. None of it.” I lifted my chin to the sky and placed my hands on my hips. A full moon shone brightly above us. “Of all the luck in the world, you’re the ex.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm this anger within me that wouldn’t let up.
“I’m not in love with him or anything like that. I don’t want him back. I’m just here because I feel sorry for you.”
Her words hit me so hard that it was as though she had physically struck me.
I flipped to face her, eyes narrowed, jaw clenched. “Why do you hate me so fucking much? What have I ever done to you?” I was practically screaming at this point, and I wouldn’t doubt it if my mother could hear me in the main house. “I mean, to even throw away my paintings in the garbage like they were trash is the ultimate low, even for you.”
She reeled back, and her eyebrows rose to her hairline. “What are you even talking about?”
My hands fisted at my sides. “My paintings. I found them ruined in the rain, thrown out like trash.”
She threw up both hands. “For the love of God, really? Why the hell would I do that? Maybe it was the construction workers who had renovated the pool house for you. They threw out a ton of stuff. I don’t have the time or the energy to do such a thing.” Her eyes widened just a tad, and she stood, the arrogance back. “You know what? I’m leaving. I came here to do you a favor. I don’t need to listen to you