Page 112 of Someday You Learn

I swallow roughly and say, “My therapist.”

She takes a step closer to me. “You’ve been seeing a therapist?”

“Yeah. Those Monday night appointments? I was seeing her.” I release her as she steps back from me again, her eyes bouncing all over my face.

“Why couldn’t you have just told me that?” she asks as more tears build in her eyes. “I’ve been wondering for weeks what you’ve been keeping from me, convincing myself that you wouldn’t cheat on me, or…”

Cupping the side of her face, I say adamantly, “I wouldneverbe unfaithful to you. I didn’t want to tell you until I could work through some shit. Because I knew you’d have questions that I wouldn’t have answers to yet. But I do now. I’ve realized a lot…”

“But you lied to me, and then you betrayed me by going to my dad when I asked you not to!” Turning her back to me again, she grabs a few more pieces of clothing from the closet and then moves to go aroundme, but I block the door, holding my hands out to cross the door jamb. “Move, Parker.”

“Don’t leave. We need to talk about this.”

Her lips are trembling. “I’m leaving because I trusted you. I was patient these past three months, and I told myself that your actions spoke louder than words—that you’d open up to me when you were ready. But now?” She shakes her head. “Your actions are making me question everything.” When I still don’t budge, my heart thrashing in my chest as I stare at her, she clears her throat. “Please move, Parker.”

“This can’t be over, Cashlynn.”

She takes her ring off of her finger and holds it out to me. “It was over the moment you betrayed my trust.”

I swear I can feel my heart crack as I stare down at the ring I knew belonged on her finger the moment I saw it.

When I don’t reach out to take it, she puts it in the pocket of my shirt and ducks under my outstretched arms, marching down the hall to grab her purse.

And I should go after her. I could try to plead my case some more. But maybe she just needs some space and time to see that my heart was in the right place. My mother warned me that this might be her reaction, but I just hate feeling like history is repeating itself.

When I hear the door shut, I heave out a sigh. “Fuck!”

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dial my sister. Luckily, she answers on the first ring.

“Hello?”

“I think Cashlynn might be coming to you,” I say as I head back to the living room, trying to rewind the last twenty-four hours and decide if any decision I’ve made was the right one.

“And why would she be doing that?”

“I told her dad everything tonight.”

“Oh, Parker,” she sighs. “Why the hell would you do that?”

“I was trying to help, Hazel.” I plop down onto the couch and feel a sense of déjà vu come over me as I explain the day to my sister.

This isn’t the first time I’ve tried to help a woman I love. And last time it didn’t end well.

Let’s just hope this time is different. It has to be.

Chapter twenty-one

Cashlynn

“I already have wine and ice cream on standby, but if you need something else for wallowing, let me know and I’ll order it.”

As soon as Hazel opens the door to her apartment, I feel like I can breathe. But then I process what she just said and instantly become irritated again.

“Did your brother call you?” I ask as I walk through her door and drop my bag on the floor before heading to her couch and throwing myself on it, burying my face in a pillow.

“He did.”

I lift my head just long enough to speak. “I know he’s your brother, but I really hate his guts right now.”

---