Page 27 of Taste Of You

Watching him leave broke my heart. Tore from me the idea that he could be mine.

That he’s my one. That person we spend all our lives looking for to share every moment with, the good and bad. I wanted that.

Past tense.

It’s a pipe dream at best, and I cannot afford to continue down a path full of delusion and pain. I’ve lost enough—everyone—I can’t do that to myself again.

“I’m running late,” I hear myself say, but it feels as though I am under a fog. Hollow. Just going through the motions. “I’ll be back a bit late after class. There’s a coffee house opening near campus that’s looking for a few baristas and a kitchen staff. Wish me luck.”

“Stop for a second, please.”

Not meeting her eyes, I reach out for my bag. “No time.”

Sandy places her hand on my shoulder, keeping me from trying to stand. “Camille, there’s no rush right now. Money isn’t the issue. We’ll be okay if you—”

“One of the guardianship stipulations was to be able to provide for Lily. To never have her go without, and that we’re financially stable.”

“Yes, and we are.” Sandy wipes under my eyes as tears stream down my cheeks. Her smile is sweet, her expression understanding. “There’s more than enough money to hold the fort down for two years. We can budget before we need to panic. Taking a few weeks to gather yourself won’t hurt anyone. If anything, it’ll make you look responsible; focused on your studies and making the right decisions for this family.”

To be honest, I don’t know what I would’ve done without her here. I know she is right.

Taking care of Lily by myself while dealing with this heartache is a struggle, but when I need a moment, she steps in. Gives me space while helping me stay on task with her.

“Okay. I’ll take a few days off.”

“You promise?”

“Yes, and I’ll even skip out on my one class today. It was going to be a short day any—” There’s a sudden pounding on our door that startles me; the person on the other side seems hell-bent on breaking down the wooden structure. I march over. Their persistence is annoying, aggravating my already sour mood. “I’m coming!” I yell out just as my hand turns the knob, pulling it open. The person on the other side surprises me. I’m not expecting this visit. “Why are you here?”

“Coming to get the truth.” Ana doesn’t look angry, more like curious with a hint of detachment. “Jet won’t say anything, just mopes around claiming you’re a liar and he should’ve never fell for you.”

If she notices how I wince at the mention of his name, she doesn’t voice it. Instead, Ana walks right past me and into the small living room.

“Sure, come on in,” I mutter, closing the door and following behind her. “Want something to drink?”

“Coffee would be nice.” She eyes the toys and Lily’s princess blanket near the couch. You can almost see the questions literally floating above her head.

“I’ll handle the coffee, Camille.” At Sandy’s words, Ana jumps, and I almost smile. Almost. “Anyone hungry?”

Yeah, there went my amusement; just the thought of food—eating while I share my sad story—has me nauseous.

“Maybe later. This’ll be a quick visit.” Shifting my eyes to Ana, I raise a brow.

“Yeah. Ummm, quick.”

“I give up, child.” With that, Sandy walks off and back into the kitchen, leaving us alone.

“Have a seat.” Ana does, and I sit opposite her in an overstuffed chair. “How much do you know?”

“Jumping right in?”

“Don’t see the point in beating around the bush.”

“Fair enough.” Ana lets out a long sigh, her eyes sad. “Why did you lie?”

“Because I needed the job to take care of Lily.”

“I get that, Millie—”

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