Page 110 of Trailer Trash

My heart leaps into my throat. God, I’ve wanted him to say these things for so long. To make sure I’m not dreaming or misheard, I ask for clarity.

“Me? Really?”

He shrugs, then takes a deep breath. “Harlow, we spend a lot of time together, but this isn’t easy for me to say. I’ve been thinking a lot and need to tell you some things. Since I met you, my life—”

Ting, ting.

Ugh!

“One second,” I say, panicked, and rush to silence my phone. On the screen, another text.

Evan: Remember this? Found it in an old box.

Evan: Picture of a small bookend statue.

It’s a pair of crocodiles in love, a male and female. Evan gave it to me on our first date. I thought it was so sweet and cute.

Evan: We were so young.

It was only three years ago, but I get his point.

Quickly, I turn off the notifications and set my phone down. When I look up, Killian is setting down his own phone, then gives me a death stare from under his brow.

“Sorry, sorry. I turned it off. What were you saying?”

He doesn’t skip a beat.

“I like a girl I can trust.”

“Oh.”

The air thickens.

“I’ve been cheated on before,” he adds.

I nod slowly. “That’s terrible.”

Just then, our food is served, but the tension doesn’t ease.

I take a leap of faith.

“I won’t cheat on you, Killian. I want you to know that.”

It’s a bold statement. We haven’t talked about exclusivity. It’s literally a first date.

“Uh, I mean, if we were together. I would never cheat on you.”

His shoulders loosen but he still seems guarded.

We continue talking. It’s easy, but he avoids going back to that moment, which is really disappointing. I bring it up once. Then twice.

“It was nothing,” he assures, completely unfazed. “How’s school?”

I frown and shrug. “I have to pay next semester’s tuition by Friday. Other than that, things are going well. I got an A on my last two tests.”

I leave out the part that I only have half the money for tuition. Maybe I should sell the car. I could get a cheaper model and have plenty left over.

“Good job on the tests,” he says with sincerity.