Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
It was now evident that strength also had to be added to the list of his physical changes.
We faced each other. I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. “I’m uncomfortable here. Can we do this outside?” he asked softly. Warm honey couldn’t be sweeter than the tone of his voice.
“Yes, of course,” I said, my stare locked on his. “I need to close out.”
“I thought you might,” the waitress said, materializing beside me. She extended a small black tray in the gap between our bodies. I hastily added a tip and signed my name on the sales receipt.
“Let’s go.” Beau nodded over his shoulder and stepped aside to let me pass first. I swear, his greedy eyes tracked me the entire way. I’d forgotten to collect my credit card which the waitress tucked into my palm as I started for the exit. In the same absent-minded manner, I barely remembered to grab my overcoat hanging off a hook beside the door.
The brisk night air cooled my heated skin, helping to untangle my jumbled thoughts. “Of all the ways I pictured our reunion, I never imagined it like this. I thought you’d send a text. My car’s this way,” I mentioned, looking back at Beau. He wasn’t there. With a perfectly executed pivot, I turned around to find him leaning against the hood of a truck close to the entry.
“Mine’s here,” he called out with humor, watching me. I never wanted his stare anywhere but on me for the rest of our lives.
On closer inspection, I recognized it as the same truck parked in the school’s lot.
I had sensed him without understanding what I was seeking.
“You were in the parking lot of my school this afternoon,” I said, beginning to head his direction. My need to be alone with him fueled every step I took.
“Let’s talk in the truck,” he said. I heard the locks release as he climbed into the cab behind the steering wheel. I took a steadying breath as I realized much of our relationship had been defined inside one vehicle or another. As he closed his door, I opened mine, carelessly tossing my cashmere coat in as I hoisted myself inside.
“You cold? I can turn on the heat,” he offered.
My ass shuffled across the leather seat until I was so close to him that I had to tilt my head to better see him. The distance still seemed too far, and I reached for his hand, clasping it tightly with mine. Peace and calm blanketed my spirit.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were here?” I asked in lieu of answering his question. His handsome expression became unreadable, stoic, and stern. He didn’t answer. Beau was still the most beautiful guy in the world, but the rigid set of his jaw and the possible permanent crease in his brow, made him appear harsh and distant. Life had changed him.
A chill unrelated to the weather emanated from Beau as he chose his words. Another change from the youthful guy I used to know. “I don’t know what it is about you that compels me to make one bad decision after another,” he said, shaking his head briskly, his long hair swaying with the gesture. “Earlier today, I set out to find you. The phone book didn’t help so I took a chance and went to your school. I saw you when you came out of the buildin’. I watched you come down the steps. That should’ve been enough…” His angry stare remained fixed out the windshield.
“What?” I asked. “You planned to leave Dallas without meeting with me?” The way my mind raced, trying to understand what was happening, had me tightening my grip on his. “I’ve been waiting for you. I have a house nearby that I renovated to suit us both. I’ve saved quite a bit of money. You’ll need therapy, and I found a therapist who specializes in deconstructing conversion therapy. The idea was for you to come here and stay here for good.”
The cab filled with our silence. My heavy breaths fogged the glass. Time stretched, each second lingered until Beau tilted his head toward me. His face bore such anguish, the intensity struck deep inside me. If I could hold his hand tighter, I would. “Trust me, you don’t want me. I’m broken,” Beau murmured, tapping a fingertip against his temple. “I’ve lost my identity. I’m not the kid you knew in Sea Springs. I’m damaged.”
“I’m not the guy you met in Sea Springs either,” I countered. “I’ve grown and evolved. That doesn’t mean we don’t belong together.”
“You don’t get it. I haven’t grown. My father broke me. I’m a coward. Life’s too fuckin’ complicated for me to navigate.”
His head dropped, his hand shielding his eyes. I shouldn’t have barked out a laugh, but it slipped out accidentally. “Cowardice is not a word I’d use to describe you. You’re a strong man. I suspect tough as nails based on the calluses on your palm.”