Page 40 of Another June with You

Laughter and conversation surrounded the bonfire, but Micah wasn’t in the mood for either. He stared at the flames licking upward toward the sky, unable to focus on anything but the pain. It was as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest for a second time. And by the same person. He was an idiot for letting her do it again. He’d started to let hope in only to be crushed all over again. Why couldn’t she be his future? He was no closer to the answer to that question than before.

“Cheer up, friend.” Chase patted him on the back.

“Easy for you to say,” Micah responded. “You’re about to marry the love of your life in less than two days. The love of mine just obliterated me … again.”

“Oh man, I’m so sorry. What can I do?”

Micah waved him off. “Just be happy. Be the happiest son of a gun ever. At least one of us will.”

“Hey, I don’t know what went down today, but she’s not the only girl you’re ever gonna love.”

“Yeah, she is.”

Chase tilted his head to make eye contact. “So, where does that leave Autumn then?”

If only Chase understood the dynamics of his relationship with Autumn—maybe arrangement was a better term for it. She had been a good friend to him through college—the best—always there for him when things weren’t going well with Jacqueline. A true confidante. And he loved her. Of course he did. But the love he had for Autumn was on a different spectrum from the love he had for Shannon.

If he could explain that to Chase, he would. But nobody knew the true nature of their relationship—they’d agreed to keep it to themselves—so he didn’t explain. He simply shrugged his shoulders.

“She’s a great girl, Micah. Don’t ignore what’s right in front of you for someone from your past who obviously doesn’t want you.”

Those last three words broke him. He stood, unable to talk about this anymore. “I’ll see you for breakfast tomorrow.”

“Oh, man, it’s still early. Stay.”

“I can’t. I need to sleep this off.” He said it knowing full well he wouldn’t get a wink.

Micah said his goodbyes and drove home. He wondered what Shannon was doing at the moment. Was she as upset about their conversation as he was?

He pulled up to his aunt’s house. Jacqueline’s vehicle was gone. Thank goodness. At least one thing had turned out right this evening.

When his back hit the bed, tears burned hot in his eyes and slipped down his temples onto the pillow. It hurt as much now as it had ten years ago. Why? Why couldn’t she be his future? There was more to this. More she wasn’t telling him. Who cares if she couldn’t go to Virginia with him? Why hadn’t she been willing to make it work? After everything—all their time together, their dreams, their friendship and love—what had changed so suddenly?

Chapter 13

Micah, there’s something I need to tell you.

That’s all she would’ve had to say when he saw her scars. She hadn’t meant to lift her shirt like that. Or had she? Maybe, deep down, she’d wanted him to see the scars so she’d have to come clean. If ever there was a perfect time to tell him, that would’ve been it. The words had been right there on the tip of her tongue. But she hadn’t done it. The moment had come and gone.

Sleep alluded her that night, and the hours crawled by, as illuminated by the digital alarm clock at her bedside. Her heartbeat hadn’t slowed down since Micah left. She’d wanted him to kiss her so badly. How many times had she imagined them together again? It had taken all of her willpower to tell him to stop.

She was the worst person in the world for putting that same broken look on his face after all these years. And she hated herself for it. Hurting him again was the last thing she wanted, which reinforced that she needed to keep the truth to herself.

Looking like a zombie, Shannon rolled out of bed at daybreak and pulled out the coffeemaker. Normally, she avoided caffeine, but after the sleepless night, she knew she’d need it to get her through the events of the day.

The first sip tasted glorious. How long had it been since she’d allowed herself coffee? She took another sip and a sudden flurry of emotion hit her out of nowhere. Tears filled her eyes, and she let them fall, a few sliding down her cheek and into her mug, leaving ripples across the surface of the dark liquid.

She was tired. And not only from lack of sleep. She was weary of living life the way she had for nearly a decade. If only she didn’t have to pay such close attention to the foods she put into her body. If only she could go crazy and eat anything she wanted and drink a gallon of coffee and … Cherry Coke … oh, how she missed Cherry Coke … and lasagna. Her mouth began to water. She missed her mom’s lasagna. Whenever Mama made it, Shannon would allow herself one small bite, but what she really wanted was to eat a plateful and seconds if she felt like it. Some days, she longed to be … normal.

Her phone rang then, and she wiped the tears away before she answered.

“Hello?”

“I’m home, and I brought a surprise.” Duncan loved buying gifts and souvenirs for his family on all of his many travels.

“Welcome home!” It was so good to hear her brother’s voice, and he had perfect timing.

“What are you doing today?” he asked. “I can’t wait to show you.”

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