Page 41 of Harvest Moon (Riverbend 3)

How’s it going? Let me know the minute you’re back. We’ll grab a bite to eat or something and celebrate your—

The notification ended there, and while he was curious to read more, he couldn’t exactly open her phone.

He frowned at the cliffhanger. At the text in general. Who was Connor Martin? Did he hold a significant place in Laurel’s life? More importantly, why did Gavin even care?

Chapter17

Gavin had been true to his word. After the terrible FaceTime breakup, he didn’t call Laurel back. She removed his contact information from her phone and unfriended him on social media so she wouldn’t have to see the photos he’d been tagged in.

But she couldn’t eradicate him from her thoughts even after he was gone from her life—even after that other shoe had finally dropped. Okay, so she’d caused it to drop. But it was better this way. She’d simply left him before he could leave her. Anyway, he sure hadn’t put up much of a fight, had he?

Only... she hadn’t known she would feel so hollow inside. Didn’t know that the days looming ahead without Gavin would feel so empty.

She called Mallory often, and her friend did her best to console her from afar. Encouraged her to work toward her goals.

But as one meaningless day rolled into another, she missed some of her morning classes, opting to sleep instead. The classes she did attend left her numb and tired. She moved through her days like a robot.

Class.

Study.

Sleep.

She slept a lot. In fact, afternoon naps became the norm. They sometimes slid into the evening. And weekends she barely dragged herself out of bed at all.

Much to her mother’s disappointment, she didn’t go home for Thanksgiving weekend. Told her she needed to stay and work on a paper that was due next week. In reality the paper was finished, but Laurel couldn’t bring herself to go home where she’d have to face Gavin.

Sarah and pretty much everyone else had gone home for the holiday weekend and Laurel was glad. With the dorm hall empty, she could pull the blinds and sleep the weekend away undisturbed.

Later that weekend when a clatter woke Laurel, she was uncertain of the time of day. The hall light flooded into the dorm, then the overhead light flickered on. Her sleep-hazed eyes focused on Sarah, overloaded duffel bag drooping from her shoulder.

“Turn off the light.” Laurel fell back into her pillow, closing her eyes. Part of her was relieved the weekend was over. She wouldn’t have to picture Gavin back in Riverbend without her. He was back at college now, miles away in an unfamiliar world. The thought was supposed to make her feel better but somehow didn’t.

The covers were ripped away from her body, and cold air washed over her.

“That’s it.” Sarah’s duffel hit the floor. “You need to get up and get in the shower.”

“Give me back my covers!”

“I knew I shouldn’t have left you. This has gone on long enough, Laurel. In the shower.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know you don’t, but I’m worried about you. It’s been weeks since the breakup and you’re not coping well.”

Laurel jerked the cover from Sarah’s hands and fell back into her pillow. “Leave me alone.”

It was quiet for a minute. Maybe Sarah would go away and let her fall back into oblivion again. Tomorrow would arrive soon enough, and Laurel had to attend her morning bio class. She’d missed two already.

“If you don’t get up and get in the shower, I’ll call student affairs tomorrow.”

Something red and hot swelled in her chest. “This is none of your business! I’m just tired.”

“You’re not tired, Laurel. You’re depressed. And sleeping all day isn’t going to fix it.”

“Of course I’m depressed! We broke up and I still love him.” Her words crumbled off and tears tumbled down her cheeks. A sob stole her breath. She loved him so much! What had she done? She wrapped her arms around her pillow and buried her face in it.

God, will this pain never end?

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