Page 38 of Found By You
I threw a hand into the air. “She’s gone a year and a half.” I tapped a finger. “No call.” I tapped another finger. “No text.” I tapped another finger. “Nothing.” Anger shot through me, finally hitting me after the shock of it all. “And now she walks in here, on my birthday, and acts like nothing has changed. Then kisses me.”
Sky frowned. “It’s crappy.”
I nodded. “And do you know what she told me?”
Sky leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees and looking interested. “Tell.”
I still couldn’t believe it. “She told me that she was back now and that she’d been having a midlife crisis or something, and that I shouldn’t have a problem with it.”
Sky shook her head. “That sucks.”
I let out a growl. “Itdoessuck, because I’ve constantly been wondering whatIdid wrong. We weretogether. I was about to—” I waved my hand toward the house. “Never mind.”
Sky didn’t say anything.
I paced and then ran my hand through my hair again.
Sky leaned back, staring at the ground.
I let out a light breath and then sat next to her, trying to calm myself.
For a few moments neither of us said anything.
I leaned back, closing my eyes and putting my face up.
Suddenly, her hand rested on my shoulder. “You okay?”
I opened my eyes and stared at her. “Nobody knows this, but I bought a wedding ring for her. I was going to ask her to marry me on New Year’s Eve at the town dance, because our families would be there. I had the whole thing worked out. I was going to talk to her about plans to possibly build a house. I was—” I broke off, feeling out of breath and forlorn.
Sky lightly squeezed my shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t help but think about how so much had changed in the past three days. Everything felt jumbled inside my head. “I can’t handle this.”
Sky pulled her hand back. “We don’t have to talk. I mean, you can just sit out here and breathe for a second.”
I sucked in a little breath, as if I’d needed her to remind me. “Okay.”
She got up.
“Where are you going?”
“Do you want to be alone?”
“No.” I was surprised to hear myself say it.
She sat back down, saying nothing.
The music kept going, but my head felt like it was being melted into Swiss cheese.
“She hurt me,” I said after a long minute of silence.
A sad look washed over her face. “I’m sorry.”
I took another long breath. “Yeah.”
Again, more silence.
Finally, I turned to face Sky, feeling more like myself. “Look, I’ve moved on. I mean, I’ve dated in the last couple months like everything’s been fine, but it’s just so weird that she walks in tonight on my thirtieth birthday and acts like the last year and a half didn’t happen.”
