Page 57 of Chasing Sunrise

She sadly smiled. “Back at you.”

“What can I do to convince you I’ll have your back? I took care of you when you were sick. I talked to your students. I’ve seen you as much as possible this week.”

“And it’s been the best week,” she assured him. “It’s just, what happens when I’ve lived through a horrible day and want to crawl into your arms for comfort and you’re halfway across the world?”

“You call me,” he insisted.

“You’ll be filming or asleep.”

“You can wake me anytime. Or even better, summer starts soon, travel with me.”

“I’m working summer school.”

“I’m sure it doesn’t last the whole summer.”

She used her strongest voice. “I can’t start a relationship with you.”

“You already have.”

“Then I have to end it.”

“Honey, that kiss said differently.”

“You should leave.” She hated every word coming from her mouth. She wouldn’t explain the rest of her arguments against them getting together, no need to tell him everything. “Please.”

He softly pressed his lips to hers again, released her, and stood.

As he walked away, her eyes filled with tears and her throat painfully swelled. Why did protecting herself hurt so much?

~

At Kasey’s sharp whistle, Edward came running and jumped into the truck cab. Kasey got inside, started the vehicle, and backed down Amanda’s drive. He stopped before he reached the street. The truck’s headlights illuminated her tiny house. The blue siding needed repairs in spots, yet the white shutters looked new. The stone flowerbed was filled with shrubs and his newly planted flowers. It looked like a happy little house.

I’ve never had someone I can rely on.What did she mean by that? What about her parents while they were living? Was it just her marriage that made her so against seeing him or had something else happened in her past that she wouldn’t give him a chance?

He liked to think of himself as a nice guy. Loyal to a fault, he loved kids and his family. Of course, he was intense, couldn’t keep still, and his mind raced. Even knowing that, she said she liked him, and kissed him like she wanted him.

That was little consolation now.

Ugh, he had to stop thinking about her.

He drove around town. At the age of sixteen, after he passed his driver’s test, he’d always make an excuse or offer to run errands for his mother and father to get in the car and go. Leave the house. Just like in those days, he took in the town. This stretch of the feeder road, next to the highway, hadn’t changed much. A few of the strip malls had new businesses, while most were the same. He approached Marshall’s Hardware Store and checked the truck clock. The store should be open for another hour. He turned into the parking lot.

Every time he came back to the store, he gave thanks nothing tragic happened the day of the shooting. He hopped out of the truck, Edward beside him. An electronicbing-bongsounded when he pushed open the glass front door. The store hadn’t changed since he’d worked here. Mr. Marshall didn’t believe in moving things. He always stressed it was important for regular customers to know items would be in the same place every time they shopped.

Edward, who’d been here many times, headed to the storeroom.

A man carrying a plunger and a jug of Drano froze when he saw Kasey. “Hunter Kase?”

He pointed to the things in the man’s hand. “Looks like you might be having problems.”

“Stupid sink where the air conditioner drains from the attic is clogged. It does it repeatedly.”

“Have you tried putting bleach down it once a week? Mr. Marshall suggested it to customers when I worked for him.”

“You worked here?”

“Best employee I ever had!” Mr. Marshall exclaimed from behind Kasey.

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