Wood (A True Lover's Story #2) - A.E. Via Page 0,104

a half a tank of gas would take him.

Chapter Forty-Six

Wood

Wood bent over and braced his hands on his knees, trying to take deep breaths of cool air into his lungs to calm himself down. He’d never used that kind of language, especially on a Sunday. But he couldn’t believe how angry Trent made him by calling him disrespectful. Still, he didn’t call people he cared about bastards. What the heck was wrong with him? Yes, Trent had been doing a lot of cursing, but Wood knew he was hurt and that’s what Trent did when he was feeling wronged. It was stupid to respond the way Wood did. Now he had to fix it and fast.

Wood pulled himself together when he heard Adam coming toward him. “Is this what you’ve been dealing with since you got out? Stress. Dealing with a lovesick boy that throws a temper tantrum anytime he doesn’t get his way?”

Wood exhaled slowly before he spoke. He didn’t want to end up having to apologize twice in one day. “Adam. I really do appreciate what you’ve done for me by keeping my belongings and protecting them. I meant it when I said I’d never be able to repay you or your brothers.” Wood stared down the street where Trent had disappeared. “But the man you just insulted has been my world since I got out. Not my stress. I care about him very much, and I’m not walking away from him and I’m sure as hell not moving anywhere.”

Adam shook his head sadly as if Wood just didn’t get it. “We weren’t over. We didn’t end our engagement… we were torn apart.”

Wood touched Adam’s flushed cheek. “You must remember it differently than I do. We weren’t in a good place, Adam. We hadn’t been for months. You had given me back the ring, and you were staying at the condo less and less. That’s what we were fighting about that night when I took off after you and snatched the keys.”

Adam ducked his head. “I was the drunk one that night. You’d had two beers, maybe three. It should’ve been me in that jail cell.”

Wood huffed an unamused chuckle. He no longer reevaluated his mistakes with should’ves and would’ves. “Adam. I came to you a few weeks ago to apologize for impacting your life so horribly. To tell you that I was sorry so I could move on peacefully with my life. I never meant to imply that I wanted to insert myself back into yours.”

“I never stopped thinking about you. Loving you,” Adam said, not quite meeting his eyes.

Perhaps they were both thinking the same thing. If Adam never forgot him, even after he woke from his coma, why no letters or visits? Not even one. Wood smirked, realizing Adam’s lie didn’t faze him in the least. “Yes you did. But that’s okay.”

“I’m sorry.” Adam shook his head. “Too much time had passed, and I didn’t know what the hell to say. I was an inadequate partner that cost you everything. It was selfish to still try to hold on to you.”

“Really. It’s okay. Come inside for a second,” Wood stressed. Even though Trent had been clear about Adam not being in his house—understandably—Wood couldn’t leave him outside on the porch as if he was a vacuum salesman. “I need to get my cell phone and call Trent. And you can write down the name and address of the storage where the rest of my stuff is.”

“Sure, Wood. If this is the life you want.” Adam used his cane to point to a troubled side of the trailer that needed some repairs. “I won’t try to stop you if you’re really happy. You just… you don’t look happy.”

“I just had a fight with my partner and he took off, Adam. Until he’s back in our house and in my bed… I won’t be happy.”

Wood dialed Trent’s number for what felt like the hundredth time, kicking the side of the dining room chair in frustration when it once again went to voicemail. Wood waited for the prompt before he started speaking. “Trent. How many times are you gonna make me call? Where are you? Just come home.” He sighed heavily into the receiver before he disconnected.

Wood walked back and forth from the front of the trailer to the back as he waited for a return call. Anytime he heard a loud engine on his street, he darted to the door only to be disappointed each time. The