Page 60 of The Ruse of Romancing
“Come home, Dani. I’ll book you the first flight. It’s time for you to come home.”
“Okay,” I whispered, the word cracked and broken. Home was exactly where I needed to be right now.
The rest of the car ride passed in silence, Spencer only speaking when we reached the duplex. He carried my overnight bag to the door, but paused before leaving.
“Dani, I’m so sorry. If I had known...” He trailed off, clearly at as much of a loss as I was, his shoulders hunched and his hands shoved into his pockets.
“It’s not your fault, Spencer.” My voice was rough from crying. I reached up and pulled him into a quick goodbye hug. “Thank you for the ride home, and please tell Joane goodbye for me. I’m going to miss her and her baking most of all.”
Spencer gave a nod and a sad smile before climbing back into his car and driving away. Joane would need to stop by the duplex to pick up the sourdough supplies she lent me, but I’d let her sort that out with Mason. I just needed to leave.
I quickly scoured the duplex, shoving everything into my suitcase, muttering to myself as I tried to cram my new sweatshirts and books into the already full bag. Not that I would be able to wear the sweatshirts again. Every time I pulled them out, I would think of Allen or Mason or whatever his name was, and the day we spent together picking them out. The same would be true for the handful of books I’d bought for myself at Powell’s. Maybe I’d give everything away once I got home. Or have a cleansing fire. Either option would work, but my thoughts were too tangled to think it all through now. I’d decide once I’d landed in Utah, where I would be with family and friends who actually loved me and didn’t lie to me.
After all, if Allen had lied about who he was, what else had he lied about? His feelings for me? My skill as a writer?
At least with that last one, if he was lying, I could prove him wrong. Just like I’d promised to prove wrong every negative review and hater of my first book.
I’d channeled the emotions of falling in love with Allen into my sequel, there was no reason I couldn’t do the same with this latest slew of emotions.
As I pushed out of my bedroom, ready to load up my car and leave, my bracelet from Poppy snagged on the doorknob. It was supposed to bring inspiration and good things into my life, but all it had brought was trouble. I slipped it from my wrist, remembering every time Allen had stroked it, sending sparks up my arm. Even though it had been a gift from Poppy, I would forever associate the bracelet with Allen. Anger at him and his lies overwhelmed me and I chucked the bracelet across the room, not caring if it broke as it hit the wall with a satisfying whack.
My phone buzzed when a text from Avery came through with my flight information. Thankfully, she’d gotten me on a flight leaving in a couple hours. I’d owe her for coming through for me.
Typing out a quick email to the duplex owners apologizing for my hasty departure, I left my key on the kitchen counter, loaded my bags into my rental car, and made the agonizing drive to the airport as the light faded from the sky, my emotions transitioning from sorrow to anger to numbness as the miles passed.
Hours later, I arrived in Salt Lake City after a blessedly uneventful flight. It was late, meaning I couldn’t stop at Poppy’s store to sign book copies, even if I’d had the heart. Instead, I booked it to baggage claim and prayed Avery would be there waiting for me.
When I spotted my sister, I rushed to her, bursting into tears as she wrapped me in a much-needed hug.
“Oh, Dani, it’s going to be okay.” She soothed as she rubbed my back and held me close.
“Avery, I thought maybe he could be the one. That he actually might—” But the words stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t finish.
“Shh, you don’t have to say anything. It’s going to be okay, I promise,” Avery soothed, pulling back to wipe away my tears. Taking control of the situation in her usual big sister way, she grabbed my suitcase and guided me to her car, the only sound between us that of my suitcase rolling behind her.
I was hit with a fresh round of tears when I saw Hercules waiting in the passenger seat, his head hanging out the window. I climbed into the car and pulled my massive dog onto my lap, not caring that it was awkward, but needing his familiar presence as I wrapped my arms around him and held on.
Avery was right. It would be okay. My heart was broken now, but at least Mason had done me the favor of showing me reality before I’d finished my book. Now I could give it the realistic ending it deserved. And then, I’d move on with my life and forget Oregon ever happened.
Chapter 33
Mason
Thenextseveraldayspassed in a blur of pain as I tried to figure out how to fix things. By the time I’d made it back to the duplex, Dani was already gone. She hadn’t even left me a scathing orange sticky note, letting me know her thoughts, and I felt its absence keenly as I tried to pretend like it didn’t matter. All that had waited for me was her orange and green bracelet left forgotten on the floor of her bedroom. I’d slipped the bracelet into my pocket, needing the reminder of her, even if it felt more like a weight than a comfort.
I tried telling myself it was just another failed summer romance. That I’d survived it before with Rebecca. So why did it hurt so much more this time around?
I’d taken to wandering the beach for long stretches of time, lost in thought. Everywhere I turned reminded me of Dani, but at least at the beach I could focus on the sensation of the sand beneath my feet and use the sound of the waves to drown out my thoughts.
One morning after walking for a while, I returned to my car, not really sure what else to do with my day but knowing I couldn’t walk forever. I looked up to find a familiar lanky figure leaning on the hood of my car.
“I thought I might find you here,” Spencer said as I slowly approached.
“What do you want?” I asked, stopping a few feet away. A part of me wanted to blame Spencer for Dani’s departure, but I knew that was wrong. Maybe things would have played out differently if Spencer hadn’t sprung the truth on her, or if I could have softened the blow and told her who I really was beforehand. Then again, maybe that would have just made everything worse.
But it didn’t matter now since there was no way to know and no one to blame but myself and my own stupidity.
“Initially, I wanted to punch you in the stomach for lying to me and Dani. But then I watched you walking all slumped over, and I realized something.”
