Page 80 of You Were Invited
The light in her eyes dimmed. “You, too,” she said, then trailed off.
In the seconds after, the awkwardness between them became so stifling he was sure the other people around them would pick up on it. He cursed Ellie. He wanted to get back to work, to enjoy himself before his dad returned to town. Maybe all Annie wanted was a friend tonight, but clearly he couldn’t even give her that. He felt like there was something on her mind, something lingering, but he didn’t press her. If she wanted to speak, then she could. She was an adult.
He turned to her and opened his mouth to excuse himself.
“Julian, I am so sorry for making you not feel important,” Annie blurted. “You’re wonderful.”
Mouth snapping shut, he froze in disbelief.
“I’m sorry I didn’t reach out to you. That’s on me. I—”
With a glance around the room, he realized they were being watched.
This is none of their business.
He leaned over and said in her ear, “Outside.”
Annie shrank back. “What?”
Shaking his head, he whispered. “Follow me. Not the place for whatever this is.”
“Oh… I just—”
He took Annie’s hand and pulled her towards the door.
thirty
Outside, the chatter of crickets mimicked the rapid tune of Annie’s heartbeat.
Julian pulled her along, the crunch of his boots on the gravel hard and commanding. His grip was tight against her knuckles and palm. Embarrassment burned in her stomach. Nothing had gone even remotely right tonight.
And just as she looked at their clasped hands, he let go. He stopped at his truck and turned around.
“Why are you here?”
Opening her mouth, she expected all the words sloshing inside of her to pour out, but nothing came. Frustrated, she covered her mouth with her fingers.
“Annie.”
In the dim glow of the distant light pole, she could barely make out more than the hard line of his lips and the furrow of his brow.
“Why’d you come tonight?”
Speak!Now wasn’t the time to beat around the bush. If she didn’t come out with what she was feeling, she’d regret it for the rest of her life. She would always think of Julian. Whether they were together or not.
“Julian... I think I want another chance with you… but I…”
“Well,” he said sharply, “as you are aware, Iama recovered alcoholic. And that seemed to be a huge dealbreaker.”
“Yes. I know.” She swallowed thickly and folded her arms over her chest. She shivered. “But before you told me you’re history, I was going to ask if you wanted to give long-distance a go. I got scared. I’m sorry.”
He blinked and frowned. She wondered if he’d spent these estranged weeks thinking many unhappy things about her.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, she feared that she’d come all this way, only to hurt him more. “I’m sorry,” she whispered again. “I’m an idiot. Are... are you... mad I’m here?”
“No.” He pulled a hand from a pocket and passed it over his hair, which had grown longer since she’d last seen him. “I hear you. I’m still just confused as hell as to why you came back.”
“I can’t get you out of my head. I’ve been trying not to think about you this whole time — not that I don’t want to think about you... I just thought Ishouldn’t.”
