Chapter Twenty-Seven #3
“I didn’t know how to tell you. I knew if I did that, you would want me to take the offer.” Her honey eyes were hidden behind the tears that were now streaming down her face. It broke my heart.
“What do you want? Do you want to keep traveling? How long are you going to keep doing this?”
“I don’t know.” She wiped at her eyes quickly. I reached out to wipe some away, but she pulled back. “We should talk about this later. It’s been a long day.”
“No.” I felt like this was a pivotal moment for us.
Either we were going to leave here together, or we were going to go our separate ways.
“I don’t even care that you lied to me. I’m sorry you didn’t feel like you could tell me this, but I know what I want.
And it’s always going to be you. What do you want? ” I asked again.
Tutu used to tell us that you should never have to force anything.
What’s meant to be will always find you.
If something slipped through your fingers, then it was never meant to be yours.
Right now, it felt like Reese was slipping through my fingers, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do to stop it.
She was quiet for a long moment. I didn’t think she would even answer, but then she finally said, “I didn’t expect to meet you. I sure as hell didn’t expect to pretend to be your girlfriend.”
“What do you mean, pretend?” Kalani’s voice shattered the world we had built in this hallway. We both turned our heads to find Kalani standing only three feet away. I hadn’t even heard her approach.
“Kalani,” Reese started, but was quickly cut off.
“You guys were fucking faking it? The entire time?” Her face was reddening by the second.
“Just at first, but then—”
“No!” Kalani practically shouted. “I shaved my motherfucking eyebrows over that bet! They are just now starting to look normal. You guys faked a relationship for...” Kalani started to count on her fingers. “For seven goddamn months?”
“You guys did what?” Mom rounded the corner, coming to stand next to Kalani. Kekoa was in tow. He blew out a breath in a ‘sucks to be you’ kind of way.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, feeling like a spider caught in its own web.
“I forgot my house keys in Tutu’s room,” Mom said, shaking her head. “What’s this about you and Reese pretending to be in a relationship?”
“It’s not like that,” I started. “Reese and I are dating. It’s just that when we first met, I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend. But I wouldn’t have had to do that if you guys hadn’t been pushing me into every single woman you met!”
“Oh, so this is my fault?” Kalani put her hands on her hips. “I had to shave my eyebrows because I wanted you to be happy?”
“I was happy! You just never bothered to ask!” My temper was totally out of control. I had never experienced such intense emotions before.
“Kelly,” Mom shook her head disapprovingly at me. “You lied to us? We raised you better than this. And Reese,” she turned her attention on her, and Reese’s face turned even redder than it was. “Why did you go along with this?”
I could feel all eyes on Reese, and even though I was mad, I couldn’t let this happen to her.
“It’s not her fault.” I stepped in front of Reese, shielding her from my family like she had done for me with Alana.
“Reese is a good person and was just helping me out. But we aren’t faking it anymore.
I’m not sure I ever was,” I confessed, feeling heat creep up my neck.
“Is that true, Reese?” Mom asked, trying to peer around me.
“I...” I looked down and saw the panic in her eyes. She was taking quick, shallow breaths, her skin ghostly white. “I need to go.”
Reese spun around and started heading back towards the main part of the ER.
“Reese! Wait!” I turned and ran, catching her by the hand.
“Kelly, let go!” She turned, more tears falling now.
I let go immediately from the bite in her voice.
“I need to go." She looked everywhere except at me, her eyes wide like those of an animal caught in a cage.
“Fine, I’ll take you home,” I said, reaching for my keys before realizing that Reese still had them.
“No. I need to go alone. To Beth’s. I need some space.” There was a definitive note to her voice, even though her breathing hadn’t slowed. I could tell I was barely hanging on to her. Any second now, and I would lose her forever.
“I’ll drive you to Beth’s.” I stepped closer, but she shuffled backwards. I stopped, instantly hurt.
“Can I borrow your truck?” I could tell she didn’t want to ask, but her options were limited at this hour.
“No way. I don’t want you driving this late. Especially after everything that has happened tonight.” I had never seen Reese like this, and it scared me.
“I’ll just order an Uber,” she said, pulling out her phone.
“I’ll take her home,” Kahale said from behind me. Goddamn. I was so tired of everyone sneaking up on us tonight. “I think we all just need a breather and to start fresh after we get some sleep. Besides, we’re causing a scene.”
I looked around for the first time and noticed all the eyes on us. I was causing all this drama in front of Reese’s co-workers.
I instantly lowered my voice. “Thank you, Kahale. That’s a good idea.”
Reese nodded her head. Before I could say anything else, she passed right by me. It took everything in me not to reach out for her. To bring her in close and never let go.
But that’s not what she wanted. She told me point-blank that she needed space. I had to give that to her.
I just stood there, watching her walk away, praying she would look back at me. If she stopped and looked at me, that meant she still cared. That meant she was still mine, and I was still hers. But she didn’t turn around. She was just gone.