Chapter 15
Stella
Watching Colton driveaway was almost as hard this time as it was the first, all those years ago. Maybe it was the protective nature he always showed me, or maybe it was a form of Stockholm syndrome, but whatever it was, I felt my heart breaking over him being gone. After closing the door and securing it, I looked down at an attentive Zeus.
“I guess it’s time for us to make a decision.”
His ears perked up at me as I walked into the kitchen. After filling his food and water bowl, I stood at the counter while the little coffee machine poured me a hot cup of coffee. With very little sleep last night, I needed the caffeine. Leaving Zeus to finish his breakfast, I walked into the backyard, needing the fresh air to clear my head.
A few minutes later, my faithful companion joined me and rested his head on my lap as I sipped my coffee. Looking down at him, I wondered how he would adapt to a new home. The little town I lived in wasn’t home for me. It was just another place to live. Wherever Hailey was would be home, if she accepted me into her life. And that was my biggest worry.
What if she couldn’t forgive me for what that bitch had put her through?
What if she blamed me for the horrors she lived through?
What if she was better off without me in her life?
I couldn’t sit here and beat myself up over the possibilities of what may happen. I needed to trust Colton and give myself some grace. I could be harder on myself than anyone, constantly looking at my past and berating myself for the mistakes I’d allowed to happen.
“How do you feel about moving to Tennessee?” I asked Zeus, and he lifted his head and licked my hand.
The sky was turning from inky black to gray as I finished my cup of coffee. Realizing I was moping over Colton leaving so quickly, even though he needed to get home to his kids, I stood and walked back to the kitchen.
I heard my phone ding from the table, and I picked it up to see who was texting so early in the morning. There were less than twenty people who had this number, and most of them were people I worked with. Whoever needed me to cover their shift today was about to get a rude awakening.
Opening the phone, I saw it was a message from my redeemer, and I rolled my eyes as I read the text.
Redeemer-Why did Hawkins leave so quickly? I thought you were going to hear him out.
Me:Jesus, you nosy asshole. His son is sick and he had to leave. I’m going tomorrow after I close the house up and take care of a few things.
R- Sorry. I was worried about you.
Me:Are you monitoring me?
R- No.
Me:Why don’t I believe you?
They didn’t respond, so I closed my phone and looked at Zeus.
“Let’s get dressed, so I can turn in my notice.”
He barked and followed me to the bedroom. Seeing Colton’s spot in my bed empty brought a tear to my eye, but I needed to suck it up and do what I had to do. He probably didn’t feel that way about me, and I was reading too much into his small acts of affection. Since my teenage years, when a girl usually learned about relationships, had been destroyed, I struggled with reading cues.
