Page 48 of The Heartstrings of Harry
Suddenly he pulled his hand away from mine.
“It’s alright. I think it’s healing just fine.”
He pulled the truck up to the curb outside my house. He jumped out and hurried around to my side of the car to open the door, but I was already halfway out. I had my new toothbrush and bottle of cologne with me.
“Thanks for the gifts.”
“They’re not gifts, they’re just replacements for the stuff I broke.”
“Right. Replacements.” I turned for the house, then back to him and said, “Well, I guess I’ll see you… sometime soon.”
He nodded. “Sometime.” He left off the word “soon.”
What did that mean?
Didn’t he want to see me again?
Didn’t he know how bad I ached for him?
How could he not see this was killing me?
Then again, I didn’twanthim to see.
I didn’twanthim to know.
I didn’twanthim to suspect a thing, because if he did it would only mean he’d want to make up excuses not to see me ever again… he’d have to avoid me whenever he could… he’d have to break my heart and tell me he didn’t feel the same way I did.
I turned and started to walk toward the house.
That’s when I heard his footsteps hurrying up behind me.
I felt him grab my forearm and spin me around.
I gasped and he gazed into my eyes, and for a moment—just one fleeting moment—I thought once more that he might press his lips to mine.
I wanted him to.
I almost cupped my hand around the back of his head and forced his lips to mine.
But I held back.
Choose your moments.
Be smart.
Be discreet.
I inhaled. Exhaled. Inhaled again as though he wasn’t sure what he was about to say or how to say it. Then he breathed, “I… I wish you could stay in Mulligan’s Mill. If there’s danger back there… if there’s danger anywhere… I don’t want you to leave. I can keep you safe here… but if you leave….”
His voice trailed off.
I didn’t know what to say, and even if I did, the words would have caught in my throat.
I took too long to respond, and before I knew it he was letting go of my forearm…
Returning to his truck…
Starting it up…
