Page 76 of Pulled Away

Dropping my bag, I turn for a last look at the place I’d called my home for three years. It’s as empty as one would expect when moving. A mirror image of my heart.

After my initial talk with Mom and Dad, I knew what I had to do, and I wasted no time in doing it.

Closing this chapter is a relief in a way. There’s a happy memory in every room of the house, echoes of laughter when I least expect it, my skin prickling at the base of my neck when I glimpse impossible shadows of Aspen out the corner of my eye. It’s torture.

I don’t want to be here. Even if she was still with me, I wouldn’t want to be here. Not where I hurt her the most. Not where I betrayed her. There’s nothing left for me here. I’ve been on autopilot since she left; my dreams of the life we’d have died when she walked out of the house for the last time.

So, I’ve sold everything. So what if I’ll be a twenty-nine-year-old living with his parents? It might not be what I pictured for my life, but I don’t care. Nothing worth having in this life comes without a fight. She doesn’t know yet, but this is me fighting. Even if I lose, I’m still doing this because she deserves it. She deserves everything. But I don’t plan to lose.

Wiping my hands down my jeans, I turn and close the door for the last time. I hope the new owners will be happy here. I hope they’ll do better than I did.

The drive to my childhood—and now adulthood—home doesn’t take long, but it’s still long enough for the images to torture me.

I thought I was prepared to see Aspen. I wasn’t. Not by a long shot. She was so fucking beautiful; she took my breath away. Everything and everyone fell away until she was the only one in the room.

I would have fallen on my knees in front of her if I thought it would help. I have zero pride when it comes to her.

Then I saw her talking to that fucker. I recognized him immediately. What were the odds that he’d be there? I quizzed Rose, thinking that maybe they’ve been in touch. She was as tight-lipped as always where Aspen’s concerned, but begrudgingly admitted that they weren’t. After which, she firmly told me to stop. That it’s none of my business.

Is that my life now? Stalking Aspen from a distance? Watching her meet someone, date, fall in love? No fucking way will that be happening. I refuse to accept it. Even if it takes years, I won’t give up.

I saw the way he looked at her, and even if it made my heart sink, I couldn’t fault him for having taste. But what really had the bile rising in my throat was the thought of him getting to know her. To get to know that her beauty isn’t only skin deep. That she’s compassionate, kind, loving, and passionate. If he found out all those things, there’s no way he’d let her go.

By the time I get home, Mom’s there, fussing over me all the way to my room.

Once she got over her disappointment and anger with me, she’s been treating me as if I’m fragile. It’s annoying as hell, but she refuses to listen to me complain, stating that she’s taking care of me now, seeing that I did such a shit job of it myself. The words came with a slap upside my head and an immediate hug afterward.

My bedroom looks exactly the way it did on the day I moved out. It’s kind of nostalgic if I have to be honest. I’ve barely put my last bag down before the doorbell rings, and my heart lurches. Time to get this show on the road.

“So it’s done then?” Carter asks once we’re settled around the patio table.

“It’s done,” I say, nodding. “I’m officially living with my parents.”

“Rather you than me,” he mutters with a grimace, which breaks into a smile when Mom glares at him. “But you’re lucky. Your mom is awesome.”

“Only because I feed you,” she huffs, putting down a tray filled with snacks and disappearing back into the house to a chorus of thank you.

“So, I’ve had a look, and I’ll come up with a final figure by the end of next week,” Aiden says, grabbing a sandwich.

“What are you thinking? Give me a ballpark figure.”

“I don’t know, man,” he huffs out a breath. “It’s hard to say. The structure is still intact, but there’s quite a bit that still needs to be done. Let me phone around and get the best deals I can before I get that to you.”

I nod in gratitude.

“It’s all good and well getting enough money together to fix up the place, but it’s going to cost money to run it, and Aspen’s not nearly ready for that,” Rose says, popping a few chips in her mouth.

“You hungry, little Ryan?” Carter smiles, watching her chew.

Rose flinches and sits back, gripping her hands on her lap. Carter frowns, opening his mouth to say something, but I cut him off, not in the mood for their verbal sparring.

“I know. We’ll have to see if we can secure some sponsorships.”

“I’d be happy for the Wood Room to donate something every month.”

“Same for my store,” Bailey says, echoing Kallan’s offer.

I shake my head. It warms my heart that they’re willing to go the extra mile for Aspen, but I don’t want to put them out of pocket any more than they already are.

---