Page 251 of Steeling Her
“When you put it like that, it sounds bad, but she was kind enough to give me the time, Nick. There was no yelling, screaming, or fighting of any kind. I apologized and I’ll be grateful for her to accept it, but I know it’ll take time, like us. I told her I was sorry and left it at that.” he nods.
“You spoke to Carter?” Haley overhears the conversation between us.
“Yeah.” He nods slowly again, this time with a tiredness in his speech. Even though you’re not doing much when flying from one place to another, it does take a lot out of you.
“Why?” she asks.
“It’s nothing for you to be—”
“She’s my best friend, Dad,” Haley states firmly. Haley has always been the girl to back her friends ’til the end.
“I know she is, I just went over to apologize to her. That’s all,” he defends himself with his hands up in surrender. He sighs at her angry face. “I swear, ask her for yourself if you don’t believe me,” he finishes. I take the initiative to do just that, not because I don’t believe him, I just need to know she’s okay. Even if my dad said she was kind and gracious to allow him in and her time, she’s sensitive.
I excuse myself from their company.
I press call and wait for her to pick up.
“Nick?” she answers.
“Hi.” I exhale deeply after hearing her sweet voice again on the phone.
My heart stops.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Nothing Definitive
Nick
I haven’t stopped thinking about her.
This radio silence is driving me nuts. I’ve been interrogating my dad ever since he arrived and dropped the bombshell that he paid her a visit that I didn’t know about. My heart sunk into my chest, but when he dived into the details, my heart was beginning to slow down and get back to normal.
As much as I appreciate him coming all this way to apologize to her, I’m still protective over her. I’m worried.
Why is she so quiet?
What is going on in that mind of hers?
She hasn’t said a word to the girls, either, which is very unlike her. The girls usually get it out of her one way or another. Nobody has heard from her, and I don’t know what to do. Seeing her and hearing from her has given me hope, but when I’m not able to, it sends me right back to the start of the five years of being apart.
I can’t let that happen. Even if it’s just friends, I’ll have to bite my tongue being around him and seeing them together, but getting to see her will make my day.
It’s been weeks, and I’m feeling every bit confused. Something must have happened for her to just shut herself away from people.
I have been calling and calling my dad since his return home. He’s back in Mississippi, but I have been asking him over and over what he said, how did he say it, how did she take it, and if he’s sure he said it like that. I’ve been going through all the possibilities of how much he’s offended her and have come up with nothing.
Just when I think I understand her, I fall right back to the beginning. I have to start again.
***
Carter
It was the sound of someone knocking vigorously on my front door that did it for me.
I grunt with my eyes closed as I roll over on my side to peek out of my window so I could see if I recognized any cars outside. The bright light blinds me as I open it a little. I can see one gleaming white Audi that I recognize from a mile away.
“Shit.” I sigh and reach for my water bottle to cure my thirst.
