Page 51 of Overachiever
“The old ‘it’s not you it’s me excuse’, but I think it may actually be true. I’ve never seen Remee get serious with anyone, and it was like she panicked once I mentioned a relationship. But, man, we were already together. Already exclusive, even if we said we were just fucking. It wouldn’t have changed anything.”
Graham is silent for a moment before responding. “If it wouldn’t have changed anything, why did you ask for a relationship?”
His question gives me pause, and there’s only one real answer. “Because I want to know she’s mine. That we aren’t temporary. Because I’m in love with her.”
“Did you tell her that?”
The night streaks by outside the window, and I focus on it, a blur of lights and darkness. I didn’t. I told her Icouldlove her if given the chance, but that’s not the same, or the truth. “I don’t think it’d change anything. I don’t think it’s what she wants to hear. All she cares about is sticking to herlife plan. She’s convinced having a boyfriend will get in the way of her goals. I told her I understand her ambition, and I’d never get in the way of that, but…” My thought is finished with a shrug.
Graham glances over at me. “Remee thinks everything through, weighs her options and tries to make good decisions. You can’t negotiate her into wanting you. She may not change her mind, but if you haven’t told her you love her, have you really given her a reason to?”
“You think I should tell her I’m in love with her?”
“That, or let her go. You may have to be prepared to let her go anyway, if that’s what she chooses.” The corner of his mouth tucks in. “I’ve been there. It sucks, but that’s how it is sometimes.”
Graham rarely talks about his past relationship, but I know he was with his high school sweetheart for years, and found out days after proposing that she was cheating on him with his stepbrother.
Silence fills the car for a long stretch while my tired mind churns. She doesn’t want a relationship. Would knowing I’m in love with her change that? There’s only one way to get an answer to that question.
“I’m going to tell her as soon as we get back.”
Graham drives for most of the night while I doze in and out, then I take over in the morning so he can rest. Big flappy moths move into my ribcage the closer to home we get, and I’ve rehearsed what I’m going to say to her so many times, I’m half crazy with it.
By the time we exit the highway in our town, and I drop Graham off at our apartment, I’ve decided not to call or text first. The things I need to say have to be in person.
A curse falls out of my mouth when I turn onto Violent Circle, and see Remee’s car isn’t there. Hopefully, she just went out to grab some food or something.
Serena opens the door when I knock, and the expression on her face doesn’t promise good news. “She’s not here,” she says before I can ask.
“Do you know when she’ll be back?” I follow her into the living room, and Zara gives me a wave from the couch.
“I’m not sure. A few days, I think.”
Stunned, I step back. “What?”
“She went to visit her mom in Illinois.”
“I texted her I was on my way back.” With a sigh, I run my hand over my cheek. “Which is why she left, right?”
“You don’t know that,” Zara offers.
“She left the day I came back. She’s avoiding me.” Disappointment rakes over me. I knew she wasn’t going to make this simple, but I didn’t expect her to run…again. I need to tell her I love her, and I don’t want to wait another few days. My next move is easy.
Serena looks up from her phone when I blurt out, “I love her.”
Serena smiles ear to ear, and Zara looks at me like an injured puppy. “We aren’t the ones you should be telling,” Zara points out.
“Where does her mother live?”
Serena’s eyebrows leap up and she crosses her arms, staring at me. “You want me to give you her mother’s address so you can stalk her into the next state to profess your love like a character out of a creepy, disturbing romance movie?”
Not the way I’d have put it. “Yes.”
“I just texted it to you.”
Zara chuckles and mumbles something about drama, but I’m too busy whipping out my phone to see I indeed have a text with an address.
“Owen,” Serena calls as I turn to go. “Maybe you should wait until tomorrow. It’s a two hour drive and you’ve already been on the road for a long time.”
