6. Chapter Six #2
“Sounds right.” I laugh again and relax. I might avoid chatting about my horrible life if we stay on this track. “When did her disgust with all things Hayden dissipate?”
“When she and her gaggle of girlies broke down on the highway and she didn’t know a soul in Virgina but me. Enter big, strong Hayden to save the day.”
“I find that difficult to believe.”
He laughs and I hear something creak in the background, a chair maybe. “Okay, you got me. I might have treated her and six other women to lunch. Turns out, they all loved me, and I guess the remainder of the trip back to North Carolina was spent convincing her I wasn’t all that bad.”
“Is that so?” This is shaping up to be a whole romance novel in the making, or so I assume, based on the women in my life who tell me all about them despite my aversion to them.
“And she called me. Out of the blue, like three months later. We talked for a while and I asked if I could come down to North Carolina and take her on a date. She agreed, the rest is history.”
“Wait, so are you moving back to town or is she moving up there?”
“She’s moving here. We’re taking over that old inn my grandparents on my mom’s side own, remember the one I told you about?”
“Yeah, the one Luna wanted to visit? The one some Revolutionary War hero stayed in to hide out?” Ah, now I’ve gone and done it. I brought up Luna’s name, and there will be no escaping the truth now.
“Yeah, that one. We’ve been restoring it, so we’ll live there and run it as a bed and breakfast. Hey, we should get together sometime and catch up. Alex and I will be in North Carolina for an antiques show in a couple of months if you want to try to catch lunch or something.”
“Uh…yeah, maybe. We’ll see how it shakes out.”
“How’s Luna, by the way? Sorry, I kind of monopolized the conversation there for a minute.”
And there you have it. It’s such a simple question, one that anyone would ask if they knew us as a couple, but it slices my heart wide open all over again.
I don’t even know where to begin to answer such a simple question because the answer is complicated beyond belief.
Add in the fact that I am literally sitting in a rental cottage a hundred yards from hers, desperate to work out what went wrong, and it’s unbelievable.
“Uh…she…we actually broke up,” I admit. There’s no sense in lying, but it seems they haven’t heard from her either, if he has no idea.
Silence fills the line then a long, slow exhale. “Rafe, I had no idea. I’m so sorry. That really comes as a shock.”
“It’s okay. I’m actually trying to work it out with her, so prayers for that would be appreciated.”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll pray for you. I know Alex will, too. That really sucks.”
“Thanks,” I mumble.
Things are awkward now as a long silence fills the line. Finally, Hayden clears his throat.
“Maybe when you return, we can still grab lunch or something and catch up when I make it down that way. I’ve thought about calling you a few times, but you know how things are.
I kept getting busy, then I’d think maybe it’s a bad idea to bother you with your crazy schedule.
I guess none of that really matters, but I meant what I said.
Maybe we’re not close now, but we’re still friends. I’m here if you need to talk.”
“Yeah, thanks. I really do appreciate it,” I whisper.
I’ve gotta get off this call before I find myself spiraling all over again.
I can’t unload everything that went wrong in my relationship with Luna to a man who is practically a stranger now.
“So, I was just about to run some errands, but give Alex my best, and I’ll let you know when I’m back in town. ”
“All right, will do, and thanks. It was good to hear from you,” he says with that stilted tone that says he feels bad he brought it up, but there was no way he could have known.
We exchange pleasantries, the kind that say you’re not sure where you stand with each other, but there’s probably zero chance you’re going to meet up.
After I hang up, I curse myself for winging it.
I should have had a better plan, maybe even led with the breakup and merged into talking about him and Alex.
Then we could have left the conversation on better terms, something more upbeat.
There’s nothing to do about it right now.
Just before I put my phone down, I notice I have a message.
It’s probably one of my brothers—all of whom cannot believe I up and left Coldstone without telling them, even though they have all been hounding me to up my game to get Luna back.
I almost ignore it, but glance at it anyway.
It’s from Luna, and my adrenaline takes control.
My palms sweat, stomach bottoms, breath catches, and I’m almost positive my heart skips a beat—I know, I’d be dead if that were the case, but there’s no other way to explain the pain in my chest.
It would really suck if I were having a heart attack right now in Ireland while trying to win my ex-girlfriend back. Then again, maybe a massive emergency like that would make her remember how much she loves me and—I shake my head.
“Idiot,” I whisper and refocus on the message.
Before I open it, I say a quick prayer that whatever she says, I can handle like a man…because honestly, right now, I feel like a lost little boy with zero clue about what to do next.
The message is pretty clear. I’m here but don’t bother me.
I’m equally as confused as I was before I opened it, so naturally, I pace the floor and repeatedly check out the window to see if she might magically appear on the doorstep.
I’m ashamed to admit how much time passes while I wear a hole in the floor until finally, I’m so worked up I’m ready to pop.
Admittedly, this is not a good look on me, so I work to divert my attention by going outside to chop some wood. Maybe by the time I’m done, I’ll have more answers.