Page 88 of Feels Like Coming Home

“No, not until you explain to me what the fuck is going on.” I moved so my face was in front of hers and she had to look at me.

“What’s going on?! What’s going on is that you’releaving,Cam. Just like before. Just like every other fucking man in my life has!” She whipped her arm free and started to walk quickly down the sidewalk. My head was spinning trying to follow her logic.

“Haley, I said I was leaving to gohome,not that I was leavingyou.I wouldn’t do that, I promised you I wouldn’t and I meant it.” I was walking quickly, trying to keep up with her as she stormed down the road toward the bungalow.

“Oh yeah? Then what, Cam? We have a long-distance relationship?” she scoffed. “I don’t see you being willing to do that. You might as well just leave now; it’ll be easier that way.”

“Hey, stop!” I grabbed her again and turned her around so she was facing me again. When her face met mine, I could see the tears starting to fall down her freckled cheeks. Her expression was a mix of anger and disappointment. “I'm not going anywhere, I made you that promise weeks ago and I intend on keeping it.”

She tried to turn away from me but I grabbed her chin and held her face to mine.

“Do you remember what I said to you, all those years ago, do you remember what I said to you in your dorm room? I told you I loved you and I fucking meant it. I told you I loved you a few weeks ago, and I meant it then too. Dammit, Haley, I love you right now even though you are trying to push me away and I don’t understand why.” My eyes searched hers for any kind of answer, but I couldn’t find one.

She stayed silent as a single tear slipped down her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb and tried to pull her closer to me.

“I’m not leaving you, Haley. I will never leave you. I promise. Forever and always.” I nearly whispered the words to her as I reminded her of my promises.

“I don’t believe you,” she said through gritted teeth. Her words felt like a knife to the chest. Even after telling her over and over for weeks that I wouldn’t leave her, she still didn’t believe me.

She still didn’t trust me.

“Haley, I will fight for you, but I will not fight you. If you don’t want this, want us, you need to be the one who decides that instead of trying to push me away. I’m not leaving this time, I know I did before but I was an idiot, a stupid kid who was scared.” I took a breath and watched as more tears streamed down her face. “But I’m not scared anymore, not to love you. Not to tell you you’re beautiful every day. Not to tell other people how amazing I think you are or how much you consume me. I’m not afraid to be here, next to you, telling you that I love you, every day, forever and always.”

She didn’t speak for a long moment and I thought, just for a second, that she had come to her senses and realized that what I was telling her was the truth, because it was.

“Let me go, Cam, please. I want to go home now.” Her words stunned me but I didn’t want to force her to stay if she didn’t want to.

So I let her go.

But I didn’tlet her go.

No. I promised her I wouldn’t leave her and I intended on keeping that promise. Even if she was trying to push me away.

After I released her from my hold, she spun on her heel and stormed off down the street back toward the bungalow.

And I followed close behind her the entire way back.

42

HALEY | NOW

Iknew he was following me as I hurried back toward the bungalow but I refused to turn around and tell him to stop. I couldn’t even look at him for fear that I would fall apart completely. He wouldn’t get that out of me and I wouldn’t give him that kind of satisfaction.

But I knew he was there, following just close enough to keep me in eyeshot. Partially because I could hear his footsteps on the pavement and partially because my back tingled where his eyes burned into it.

I quickened my step as I got closer to the bungalow, pushing through the white picket fence gate and slamming it behind me to cut Cam off. I made it to the front door before he could reach me and slammed it shut behind me.

I heard him call my name from the other side of the door.

“Haley. Haley, please!” he shouted through the thick mahogany. “Jones, open the door. Please talk to me.”

“Go away, Cam, there’s nothing to talk about!” I shouted back at him.

Behind me, I heard Piper’s footsteps coming from the hallway. She leaned out of her bedroom and looked at me, concern filling her face.

“Hays, what’s going on?”

“Please, Haley, just open the door. Please!” Cam shouted again.

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