Page 9 of Everything I Desire

This poor girl. She should never have to worry about this stuff. She’s way too grown up for her age.

“You’re right. I am. We dated in high school. Now, back to this situation at your house, are you going to tell him?” I am cringing inside because this is about to be a 20/20 investigation into my dating history with Porter, and I amnotready to open that wound again.

“Judging by your judgy face, I guess I’m going to have to tell him or you will. You have that face when you’re asking me a question and there’s really only one way to answer.”

I laugh, she is right.

“How long did you two date? Was it serious?”

“That, my darling girl, is two questions. I only asked one. We dated for two years. Would you like me to be there with you when you tell him? We could tell him tonight when I bring you back home.”

“Really? You’ll tell him with me?” Her face lit up.

“Of course I will. I’ll shoot him a text and let him know we want to talk about something when we’re done.” I pull out my phone and start to text Porter.

“Okay, that was an answer, so now you answer my other one. Were you two serious?” She looks at me expectantly.

“Technically it was an offer, not a question. But yes, we were,” I answer quietly.

“What happened?” she asks.

“Well, would you look at that, I have no more questions, which means no more answers!” I exclaim, a little too excited I’ve found a way to get out of answering questions about Porter and me.

“What? You can’t do this to me. You dated my uncle!” Her high pitched squeals were causing more than a couple of other patrons to look at us.

“You were serious. You could have been in my life all these years, maybe you could have saved me,” she says, looking down at the table.

It breaks my heart that she thinks I could have done that. She doesn’t know that I wanted to run away with him and disappear so he didn’t have to deal with anyone from this town again. I had no intention of saving his poor five year old niece from his own personal hell. Not that I had no intention, but I was only eighteen, I wanted to save the love of my life, and I wasn’t thinking about much else.

“Oh, Kayla. You have to know he tried. He tried so hard.” I shake my head.

“He did?” She looks at me with brows furrowed. Obviously this is news to her.

“He did. It’s not my story to tell so you should ask him about it, but don’t hold it over him. He wanted you and your mom to be safe with him so badly.”

“You really won’t tell me?”

“Sorry sweet girl. You’ll have to ask him.” I wink at her. She knows I won’t tell another’s story.

After we finish our milkshakes I head to the counter to pay the bill. Only, I find out that Darlene is refusing to let me pay. She says that anyone willing to show that girl love and kindness gets free burgers in her eyes. She’s such a loving person, always taking care of the people of Lupine Valley.

The drive to Kayla’s house, or Porter’s house now, took less than 5 minutes. Much sooner than I am ready we are parked in the driveway. She’s wringing her hands in her lap as she has been the whole ride. Only now that we’re parked she won’t look at me and continues to stare out the window.

Porter comes to the door, and stands in the doorway. Giving us the space to come to him.

“I guess he’s waiting on me huh?”

“He is. But he’ll keep waiting.” I place my hand on her shoulder.

She turns in the seat to face me, “What if this scares him away? What if he demands I go to New York?”

Tears sit in the corners of her eyes, refusing to fall, just as stubborn and strong as she is.

“Then we talk about it, but I can almost promise you that you aren’t going to scare him away. He grew up just like you.” I remind her.

“Yea and he left,” she says flatly. Now I see the underlying issue of being honest about her living situation. She’s afraid that he’ll leave her like he left his family.

“You won’t know until you talk to him, sweetie.”

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