Page 84 of Inseverable (Carolina Beach)

She frowns, appearing confused. “I’m not pregnant. I had my cycle two weeks ago. Why would you . . .”

Her voice trails when Sean and Hale appear. “Sorry, Trin,” Sean says. He meets her eyes briefly as he passes her and walks toward the front of the house.

Hale pulls Becca up from her seat. “Come on. We have to go. They need to talk.”

“What . . . oh,shit,” she says, as they pass us.

Everyone knew. Everyone, but me.

Trin’s breaths appear tortured and she’s focusing hard on the ground. But right now, she needs to focus me. “You’re going into the Peace Corps,” I say. “You’re going to be gone what? Two years? And you never thought to tell me?”

A tear escapes her eyes. “It never seemed to be a good time,” she says.

“You have to befuckingkidding me.”

“Cal?”

I hold out my finger. “No.No. We’ve been practically inseparable. Don’t stand here and tell me you never had a chance to talk to me about this.”

“Callahan, you’ve been through a lot?”

“Noshit,” I snap.

“Please, hear me out.” She tries to reach for me again. Again, I deny her. Her hands fall at her sides. “Baby,” she says. “When we’re alone, we’realwaysintimate. You tell me about the horrible things you’ve lived through, and I do my best to help you through them. I didn’t want interrupt you when you talked about your past?knowing how hard it is for you to open up. Nor did I want to ruin an opportunity to grow closer to you. So I kept my mouth shut, and waited for a good time that never seemed to come.”

I scowl. “You’re telling me that we’ve never gone out, or sat around talking about life? That all I’ve done is bitch about the shit I’ve been through, or dragged you to bed?is that what you’re saying? No opportunities for anything else like, I don’t know, thetruth? Just bitchin’ and fucking, right?”

“Don’t say it like that!” she bites out. “Don’t belittle what we have?”

“We’ve gotnothing, Trin!”

Her head snaps back like I slapped her. But as angry as I am, as much as could tear this whole place apart, I would never put my hands on her in anger.Never.

But I can’t say she’s not killing me.

“Please don’t tell me that.” Tears pool in her eyes. “Please.”

“What would you like me to say, Trin? At least I’m being honest.” I hate the tears dripping from her face, and I hate that I’m the one causing them. But Jesus, the pain ripping through me is more than I can take. She’s leaving. She’s fuckingleavingme.

“The intimacy I’m talking about extends past our time in bed,” she says, placing her hand on her chest. “Every time we’re alone, I can feel us growing closer. The last thing I wanted was for something to wedge us apart.”

“Like you leaving for two years?” I cover my face when she starts crying. “Goddamnit, Trin. You should have told me . . . You shouldn’t have kept something like this from me.”

I settle myself in a chair, concentrating hard on the flames dying in the pit. Trin takes a seat next to me, but keeps her distance. When all that remains are nothing more than glowing embers, she edges closer and takes my hand in hers. When she squeezes it, I don’t squeeze back. My hand simply lies between hers.

“What has all this been?” I ask her quietly. “You introducing to me to your friends. Those suppers with your folks. All the times you fell asleep in my arms.” I look at her. “What did it mean to you? Was I just something to do to pass the time until you left?”

“Ofcoursenot.” Her voice shakes, and her eyes so red, I know she hasn’t stopped crying. “This time with you has meant everything to me. I love you, Callahan?”

I pull away from her. “Don’t,” I tell her, my voice splintering. “Don’t say that to me.”

I bury my face in my hands. This can’t be happening. No way can she betray me like this. Not her.

It takes me a long moment, but eventually I drop my hands away and force myself to speak. “When do you leave?”

She stiffens beside me. “I was supposed to leave in two weeks. But I’ve been granted a short extension?”

I don’t hear her last words. My blood is boiling and scorching through my veins like acid. I stand, anger shaking me down to my core as I stomp toward the house.

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