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I’d dated a fair number of women, but none of them compared to the Angela I’d enjoyed for the last few weeks. How long would it be until I found someone who equaled her? Could I find one like her who was also honest?
That was a question I hadn’t asked myself before.
The lie.
My blood boiled. Fucking hell. I’d fallen for the same honey trap all over again. I slammed my fist into her picture on the wall, all the way through to the insulation. Why did I always have to fall for the wrong ones?
The physical pain was instant, the emotional pain followed quickly when I pulled my hand free of the hole. This was a repeat of that day in my parents’ house when she’d caused me to put holes in the wall. That’s when I’d first learned this lesson about misplaced trust—the one I needed a refresher on.
The emptiness in the room and ache in my chest was my fault, but I would learn from this. I had to. I punched the wall again.
* * *
Angela
The fucking asshole.
Once again Boone wouldn’t believe me. That was obviously something that would never change. We could never build the mutual trust we’d need for any relationship. My stay here had turned from heavenly to total shit in the course of a few minutes.
How had that happened? Yesterday I’d been so certain Boone and I had been brought back together for a reason—that we were meant for each other. Then today, karma gave me a reality check. No nirvana here, just a reminder to guard my heart and be very, very, very careful with the next man.
Would there be a next man, or was the universe sending me a message that I was meant to grow old surrounded by two dozen cats?
At least the six-hundred horsepower of my red rocket ship finally had a purpose—getting me the hell away from Boone, and pronto. The R8 sprinted down the drive like the beast it was, finally let out of its cage to run free. I only realized it was too fast when I came to the road and tried to take the corner.
Jamming on the brakes, I spun out, and the car came to rest sideways on the gravel and grass of the opposite shoulder, two feet from a tree.
I couldn’t breathe for a moment as I realized how close I’d come to ruining my only means of escape from Boone, not to mention Kevin. I couldn’t even manage a simple trip down a driveway, and I still had over six hundred miles to go.
Lightheaded, I climbed out and rested against the wheel well, not certain I could stand without support. Leaning over with my hands on my knees, I closed my eyes, willing the nausea to pass.
But the puke urge didn’t let up, and I spread my feet just in time to avoid getting it on my shoes.
“Breathe slow and deep, count to ten,” I said out loud. I’d practiced this enough times to know it would help me recover from an anxious moment like this. But I’d only made it to six before the sound of a car pulling over on the opposite shoulder made me stand up.
Marge rolled down her window. “My goodness, dear. Are you all right?”
I nodded, but I was unable to answer fast enough.
Like an Olympic race walker, the old woman was out of her car and by my side before I could form words. She placed a comforting arm around my shoulder. “Now tell me what happened.”
“I guess I took the corner too fast.”
“Uh-huh. And why?” She waited for more.
“I’m not as good a driver as I need to be.”
“Leaving fast, huh?” She spotted my duffel in the seat. “I thought you were staying until your sister arrived? And overnight too, I heard,” she said with a knowing smirk. This was the problem with befriending my now-ex-boyfriend’s aunt. She knew too much about my situation.
I blinked back an impending tear. “Change of plans.” I sighed. “I need to get on the road.”
She stepped back. “But leaving this late, you’ll need to stop overnight, and you said you didn’t want to use a motel.”
“It’ll be okay,” I lied. It wouldn’t. After buying the laptop for Tallulah, I had enough left over for gas, but not a motel for the night. If—no when—I got too tired to continue, I’d have to pull over and sleep in the car.
She nodded and looked me up and down. “Are you sure you’re all right to drive?” She eyed the splatter of puke on the ground. “It looks like you’re not feeling well. I’ve got some ginger tea in the house. Just the thing for an upset tummy.”
I straightened up, willed my legs to not wobble, and walked to the car door. I put on a brave face, but I couldn’t look her in the eye as I lied again. “I’m fine. Thanks for stopping.” With that, I pulled the door open. For some reason it felt like it weighed a ton.
