Page 18 of Lose You to Find Me

“Don’t worry about it. Elena is trying to save up for her own car, so she’s been taking on as many shifts as she can when she’s out of school. We’ll figure it out.”

“Thanks, Bea,” I tell her, grabbing the items she refuses to let me pay for and heading toward the door.

I start to push it open when I hear, “He misses you. I wouldn’t assume anything just yet. It may be hard for the two of you but not impossible.”

Not sure what to say, I let the door slowly close again until I’m staring at the speckled water stains on the glass.

She adds, “Go easy on him. That boy has been through it lately, and I’m not sure how much more he can handle. Everybody breaks eventually, no matter how strong they pretend to be for everybody else.”

I pause, feeling my stomach drop as I turn to face her. “What do you mean? What happened?”

She frowns at the question before slowly shaking her head. I can’t read the expression on her face when she replies with a somber, “Oh, girly. You really have no idea, do you?”

Chapter Seven

RAINE

The hardware storelooks so much bigger now that I’m standing in front of it. I’ve been debating for five minutes on whether I have the guts to actually go in, knowing who’s in there. I saw the profile of his face as he helped an older woman grab a light bulb from the top shelf of aisle eight.

How could Inotgo in though? Caleb’s family was like a second one to me basically my whole adolescent life. They took me in as their own and accepted me even before I started dating their son. His mom would send me home with leftovers, and his dad taught me how to change a tire and check the oil in my car.

His dad.

My stomach dips at the thought of the terrible news Bea shared, pushing me forward until I’m opening the door and listening to the familiar chime of the bell announcing a new customer’s arrival.

I freeze when I walk far enough in to be met by the deep brown eyes of the boy behind the counter. They’re not as warm as usual but tired. I’ve only ever seen them look this dull when he tried pulling two all-nighters in a row to help me study for my finals while also trying to prepare for his. He got sick, almost slept through his first exam, but managed to get through it with one of the highest grades in his class.

My throat tightens with emotion as I slowly walk forward, feet dragging out each step until I’m mere inches away from the counter where Caleb is standing stone-still.

“I had no idea,” I whisper.

No “Hi.”

No “How are you?”

That’s a trivial question, and there’s no way he’d answer me honestly.Fineis the word I’m sure I’d hear escape those full lips of his that I used to map out with my fingertip whenever we were lying together.

I fiddle with my hands, unsure of what to say or do. Breakup be damned, I want to walk around the counter and give him a tight hug—the tightest I’ve ever given. It’s what he’s always done whenever something happened with my family.

But I can’t get myself to move.

Not forward.

Not back.

Caleb asks, “When did you get back into town?”

Civil conversation.

It’s…awkward. Thick.

“This morning.”

He simply nods.

“Caleb—”

“I can’t do this right now, Raine” is what he tells me, staring at the laptop on the counter. He’s never cut me off before, but I get it. I do. It only makes me want to hug him more.

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