Page 26 of You Met Me There

My eyes pop open, and I stare into the darkness beneath the blankets. “You’d be willing to do that? To see if it would change your mind?”

“Natalie, I want whatever you want. If that means going to therapy to work out the issues I have, then I’ll do it.” His steady voice wavers, but he continues more hesitantly than before. “There’s something I never told you about. Something that scares me.”

I turn on my side, pulling the phone closer to my ear so it feels like he’s right beside me. Luke and I always hide away under the covers, whispering our secrets and making plans for the future. He’s not physically here, but this feels the same. Like he’s close enough to run my fingers across his upper lip.

“What haven’t you told me?” It’s almost a whisper.

“I’ve told you that the world is a scary place to raise a kid, and that’s completely true. It scares the crap out of me to think of being a dad. There’s so much to protect them from.” He’s silent for a few seconds, and I wonder if he’s going to continue. When he does, I’m relieved. I didn’t want him to freeze up and keep secrets from me. “When I was a kid, my mom had⁠—”

His voice cuts off and my phone screen turns black, leaving me in darkness under the comforter with a dead cell phone.

“No, no, no, no, no!” I bolt upright, scanning the room for my phone charger.

What was Luke going to say? Something about his mom.

I throw the covers to the side, hopping to the floor in search of the one thing that will bring my phone back to life. I hadn’t realized the battery was so low. Opening my purse, my camera bag, and all my luggage in the search, I come up empty-handed. My heart pounds in my chest. I’m frantic now, checking under the bed, behind the nightstand, between the cushions on the little couch. All the lights are on, but I can’t find it. I have to call him back right away.

I grab some sweatpants and a hoodie to pull on over my PJ shorts and top, then slide on my sandals and grab my keys. This dang cord better be in my car.

Once I’m back in my room, phone charger in hand, I rush to plug it into the wall. While I wait for the phone to get enough charge to turn on, I quickly perform my nightly routine of washing my face and brushing my teeth before jumping back into the plush bed. My heart skips when I see the phone is finally powered on, and I scramble to call Luke back, my hands shaking from the crazy panic I just endured in my wild search.

The call rings and rings, but he doesn’t answer. I growl through clenched teeth, frustration eating at me.

What was he going to tell me about when he was a kid?

His mom had what? An illness?An affair? It didn’t sound like he was going to say anything good, so it must have been something terrible.

But I love his mom; Samantha is an amazing person. And she took me under her wing from the day I got to Florida. There’s no way she could have done something to hurt him.

As my third call continues to ring, I hang up, facing defeat. That’s when I see a text from him. It was sent right after our call ended, when my phone reverted to a useless rectangle of metal and plastic.

My breath catches as I click on the message.

Luke: Your phone must have died. That’s okay. I’ll let you get some sleep. We’ll talk soon. I love you and can’t wait to see you. Sleep well, my love.

The phone falls from my hand to the bed, and my shoulders sag. I kick off my sandals, shimmy out of my sweats and hoodie, turn off the lamp, and climb back under the sheets. It’s no longer warm, and I can no longer feel the presence of Luke beside me. My feet are cold, and I wrap my arms around myself, hoping I’ll drift to sleep quickly.

I don’t.

Chapter 14

Natalie

I’m eating breakfast in the B and B’s dining room when I get a call from an unknown number. I answer timidly, swallowing the bit of dry toast I’d just put in my mouth.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Natalie? It’s Juliet.”

I wipe my palm against my leg. “Oh, hey. Good morning.” I try to sound chipper, but I’m so confused by being in my childhood town. It’s like my old self and current self are twisting into one, but neither knows how to mold together properly. I’m a jagged mess. And not getting to finish my conversation with Luke last night doesn’t help.

“I called Mom and Dad and told them you’re here,” Jules says. “They’re in Ohio with their RV. They’ve decided to drive back to see you, and they could be here by tonight. They’re just waiting on me to give them the go-ahead. Will you still be here tonight?” Like yesterday, her tone is cooperative but I wouldn’t call it warm.

“Yes, I’ll be here tonight. I don’t actually have plans for when I leave yet,” I reply. “I might be here a while. I’m … figuring some things out.”

Silence rests over my heavy heartbeats, and then she speaks again, her tone tight. “Okay. I’ll tell them to come. But, Natalie, with them coming all this way to see you, just … don’t leave without giving them warning this time. They’ve dealt with enough.”

I nod my head vigorously. “I will. Of course.” I straighten the silverware on the table, my voice gentle. “I’m excited to see them. I’ve missed everyone so much.”