Page 90 of All Along

“You’re serious?”

“As serious as the asshole who shot you from behind.”

“FUCK!” I stand and throw the chair across the room.

I can’t believe this. My whole world is crashing down. Just when I thought I had everything I ever wanted. Everything I’ve longed for all these years.

Maybe Maya’s dad was correct all those years ago when he said I’d never be man enough for Maya.

Chapter 31

“You want to play passive aggressive with me? Go ahead and try. I have years of experience.” ~ Maya

Maya

Ifrown down at my phone. I haven’t heard from Caleb all day. I know he had physical therapy today, but he should have been home hours ago.

I tap my fingers on my steering wheel. What to do? Go home and hope Caleb’s okay? Drive to the cabin and hope Caleb isn’t mad at me for showing up unannounced? Neither choice is very appealing.

He loves you. Why would he be mad?

I start to ignore my inner voice but then force myself to woman up. Caleb does love me. He tells me often enough.

My parents are the assholes. They’re the ones who are unlovable. Not me. Caleb loves me. My friends love me. Lily loves me. I am loveable.

I blow out a breath and switch on the engine to go check on Caleb. Nothing can be as bad as yesterday when he collapsed.

When I arrive at the cabin, it’s dark. It appears abandoned, but Caleb’s truck is here. Maybe he went to the resort to visit Hudson. I’ll check.

“Caleb!” I call and knock on the door.

“Go away!”

Strangle a smuggler. Are we back to this? Does he regret showing me his injury yesterday?

I start to inch backwards. No. I stop myself. I’m the heroine in my own story and I won’t be one of those wimpy heroines who make me want to throw my Kindle across the room. I will be strong. And fierce.

Maybe not fierce. But I can do strong.

“I wouldn’t leave you alone before you said you loved me. What makes you think I will now?”

“FUCK! I don’t want to see you.”

“Too bad,” I say and march inside the cabin.

I need to stop after a few steps since it’s dark as midnight on the ocean with no stars in here. I let my eyes adjust but it’s no use. It’s too dark to see.

I creep to the wall and flip the switch. The lights flash on.

“What the hell? Lights are off for a reason,” Caleb growls from where he’s laying on the sofa with a bottle of moonshine in his hand. Potato chip bags are scattered on the coffee table along with an open pizza box with one piece of pizza left in it.

“What’s going on?”

He sips from the bottle but doesn’t answer me.

“Caleb,” I plea. “What’s going on?”

“Don’t want to talk.”

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