“Told me that after a few months you would leave me heartbroken and move on to the next girl.”
I set the shirt down and turn toward her. “Whoa, you know that’s not true, right?”
“Kell—”
I cut her off. “Monica and I were never that serious. We never said I love you or did sleepovers. Did I sleep with her and take her on dates? Yes, because we were dating. I’ll be the first to admit that I was a shit boyfriend. I mean, I broke up with her because I thought I had feelings for Grace, and I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn’t lead her on or anything. After I broke up with her, I kept my distance. I never played games with her or made her think there was a chance of getting back together or anything. I know now that I was self-centered back then, but I swear I didn’t hurt her on purpose.”
Cora leans forward and grabs me by the back of my neck and slams her mouth against mine. She kisses me fearlessly and with no hesitation. All too soon, she pulls away and rests her forehead against mine.
“That was unexpected,” I mumble, trying to catch my breath.
Cora smiles. “I had to shut you up so I could get a word in.”
“Sorry. What did you want to say?”
“I wanted to tell you that you have nothing to worry about. Was it an uncomfortable encounter? One thousand percent, but those are bound to happen. If we didn’t have an awkward run-in with one of your exes, it would have been one of mine. It’s part of dating.”
“I don’t like the thought of you with anyone else,” I tell her bluntly.
Cora rolls her eyes and smiles. “The point is we both have a past, and we’ve clearly moved on with each other. You didn’t show any emotion when we saw her this morning, and when I mentioned she stopped by, you looked worried that she said something mean, not because you were trying to hide something from me.”
“I would never.”
“And I believe you.”
“Good. I really don’t want to mess this up. Or let my past fuck it up for us.”
“Like I said, the past is the past. It’s in the rearview mirror, and I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to look back. I only want to look forward. I just didn’t want to keep her little visit a secret from you.”
“I appreciate that. Actually, she’s on a list I’ve been making. It sounds silly, but I have people I need to apologize to. Maybe I should start with her.”
She hums a moment. “She’s going to be a dick about it.”
“Yeah, but I deserve it.”
She shakes her head. “You’re not that Kellan anymore. You don’t deserve to be beat up for something you are clearly trying to make right.”
Pulling away slightly, I kiss her forehead. “I don’t know what I did to get so lucky to have you.”
“I’m the lucky one,” she says softly.
She might think she’s the lucky one, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s me. I don’t know what I did to deserve her, but I’ll work my ass off to keep her.
sixteen
Things have settled back down. Kellan and I are in such a good place. We still haven’t crossed any lines, but I’m feeling more and more like we are getting closer to it.
He’s been taking me on at least two dates a week. He says he needs to make up for the time he didn’t know me. It’s really quite sweet.
Between that and going to his games, we have been spending as much time as we can together, but it’s hard when I have class and the center to get to every day.
After the shitty day I had there, I went back. Martha was surprised to see me. She thought I was scared off for good.
I’ll admit, I did question if I was making the right choice, but then I remembered Shelby’s face. The way she reacted to her mother broke my heart. Then to see her slowly come back to herself by talking to me?
I was meant to find that job. It was my destiny.
It’s why I went back, and I continue to go back. Each day, I wonder if I can be doing more.
