Page 31 of Return To You

I think my dad is worried I’ll back out, and honestly, he should be because being back here and being around all the places I spent withhimis hard.

For months, I refused contact with my father, but when he showed up, it shocked me, but when Natalie shoved me out of my shock, anger took hold, and I refused to speak to him despite him trying so hard.

I only gave in because Mrs. Cannon brought Diego into it, and now I’m staying back at my father’s, in my old room until the end of next week. He drove Diego and me back to Kingstonville, seeing as I still don’t have a car, and promised to take us back once our visit is over. He wants to celebrate Diego’s firstbirthday, and prove he can be a good grandfather, which is why I’m now waiting for Clark to bring out the ridiculous red tractor cake my dad ordered.

Diego is only turning one; he doesn’t need a massive cake.

“So, is this going to be one of those smash cake things?” Amber, a girl from my year of high school, asks as she hands some cupcakes to a woman standing beside me.

I snort. “I’d love to see my dad's face if that happened. The cake was his idea, while I suggested several little cupcakes because he’ll only be one.”

She grins as the double doors open, and Clark walks through, holding a massive square box. I groan, making him laugh, his belly jiggling.

“Alright, darling. It’s not as big as you think; it’s just packaged in sections because you must place it back in the freezer when you return to your dad's. I know what your dad requested, but I also know you, even if you haven’t been home for nearly two years. It’s a square cake. The top half is a blue sky with clouds, and the other half is green like fields. In the middle is a big red tractor with the number one formed as smoke from the exhaust, and farm animals surrounding it. Now, I have put a note on the top, but I’ll tell you, you need to get it out of the freezer two days before his birthday, and unwrap it.”

I shake my head and say, “Thank you, Clark, I really appreciate it.”

He smiles, handing me the box, and rasps, “You’ve been missed, Rose.”

Amber agrees, “Yeah, especially on weekends when you’d help out.”

I laugh. “It's good to know I’m missed." They both smile, and I sigh. “I promise I’ll try to keep in contact when I go home.”

Clark sighs, running his hand through his scruffy, ginger hair. “Thisisyour home, Rose. We know about the rumors Ginaand those mean girls spread about you cheating on Noah, and we know they were all bullshit.” I swallow hard and look at the box. “Please, just remember there are people here who have missed you and want nothing more than for you to come back home where you belong.”

Looking at Clark, I give him a soft smile and admit, “This place hasn’t been my home since he left, Clark. I don’t think I’ll ever move back, but I will try to stay in contact more.”

Amber’s brown eyes tear up, but she nods as Clark leans over, touches my cheek, and whispers, “Please don’t be a stranger, sweetheart.”

He kisses my cheek before Amber leans over and does the same, and I give them both sad smiles. With a heavy heart, I walk toward the door, opening it before saying, “I’ll see you soon.”

They both smile sadly, and I turn so I don’t bump into anyone, only to freeze at the figure before me. My palms instantly start to sweat, and my heart rises.

Torn jeans, black Henley, and biker boots.

I blink, thinking maybe I’m seeing things, that perhaps he’s not here as I take in the form of the man I thought I’d never see again. His hair is a little longer on top, and he’s sporting some scruff around his jaw and upper lip. His brow now has a piercing and…he looks good.

Way too flipping good.

What the hell? Couldn’t he have gotten ugly over the years?

I blink and blink again, realizing he really is standing before me.

Noah flipping Scott, the ass who broke me. He made me fall in love with him, promised me so fricking much, ensuring he was all I saw after four years together, only to run at the first hurdle thrown in our way. Well, not the first. Piper lied, saying she caught me making out with the captain of the basketball teamwhen I was sixteen, the guy, Cole, actually agreeing with her, only to find out she was screwing him.

Noah never doubted me then, didn’t even look into it, and yet, he sees a picture, and instead of confronting me, he bolts.

Anger takes hold. I don’t know why he’s in town, and I don’t care. For nearly two years, I’ve ensured to stay away from anything Noah. I’ll see glimpses of magazines and tabloids of him with other women, being all cozy, and it would kill me, but I’d walk away and wait until work was done, homework was completed, and Diego was in bed before falling apart. I’d hear snippets of his music, all about being hurt and cheated on by his love, but again, I’d wait until I was alone at night to break, but really, I’ve kept myself away from any knowledge of him.

I don’t know if he has a girlfriend or a wife, and I don’t want to know his tour dates or if his music is climbing or falling. This is the path he’s decided on, and now, he has to live with his decisions.

With all the strength I can manage, I get my feet to move, but instead of stopping in front of him and giving him a piece of my mind, I walk by him, completely blanking him.

He chose not to confront me, ignoring all my attempts to contact him because I thought he deserved to know about his son. He chose to run away over the lies his sister and Piper told.

He chose not to fight for me, for us.

Screw him!

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