Page 78 of Endurance

“Is he the reason you broke it off with Dean?” she eventually asked.

“Yes and no. And honestly, it doesn’t matter now. I’ve already booked a flight home for the day after tomorrow, but after we hang up, I’m going to see about bumping it up.” I paused and looked around the room. “I just can’t be here anymore. The sooner I leave, the better.”

“I don’t know what happened between you and this guy Sloan, but running is never the answer. Unless, of course—” She stopped short, then gasped. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“Of course not. It’s nothing like that, Mom. It’s just that…” I let my words hang in the air, afraid to voice them out loud. “It’s just that he’ll never love me back. What can I say? I always pick the wrong guy.”

“Don’t say that. And how do you know he’ll never love you back? I mean, look at your father and me. I thought that too, and we wasted seventeen years because of it. Does he know how you feel?”

“Sort of.”

“Kallie…” she said in a warning tone.

“Okay, fine. I did tell him, but not in so many words. I didn’t actually say I love you because I already know where he stands. He told me as much. Please don’t push me on this. Just trust me. I need to come home.”

“Alright. I’ll think of something to tell your father for now. Like you said—you weren’t compatible with the client. It’s not a lie, per se. Just know that you’re probably going to have to tell him eventually.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you. If I can move my flight, I’ll let you know and text you the flight itinerary. Can you pick me up from the airport, or should I plan on calling an Uber?”

“I haven’t seen you in three months—of course I’ll pick you up!”

“Perfect. Thanks again. I’ll talk to you soon. Oh, and is Austin back from Japan?” I asked as an afterthought.

“Yeah. He got back a couple of days ago. He’s home for a week, and then he has to go back.”

“Good. That will be enough time for me to pin him down. I have a bone to pick with Austin,” I added.

“What has he done now?” she inquired with a laugh.

“Not now—it’s what he did years ago with a gypsy fortuneteller.”

“You mean the one he paid off?”

My eyes widened in shock, feeling like the entire universe had been conspiring against me for years.

“You knew about it too! What the hell, Mom! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t think much about it. Why are you so upset about it now? It was a long time ago.”

I sighed, not having the energy to get into the entire tale.

“I’ll explain it to you when I get home. Right now, I need to run so I can see about moving my flight. Love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, baby girl. See you soon.”

After I ended the call, I looked around the room once more and felt tears begin to prick the corners of my eyes. I felt foolish, heartbroken, and everything else in between. But one thing remained unchanged—I was really doing this. I was leaving Santa Monica.

Unless I could miraculously get over my feelings for Sloan, leaving meant I would probably never see him again. I wanted to tell myself I’d be okay, but I didn’t think I’d ever really be okay again. Over the past three months, Sloan had irrevocably changed me. Our time together had taught me so much about myself. I finally knew what I wanted in a relationship and knew what it meant to give my whole body, heart, and soul to someone. I only wished Sloan could have been the one to give that to me in return.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I grabbed my laptop from the kitchen table and went to sit down on the couch in the living room. Opening my music playlist, I put a song that seemed to fit my mood, then opened my inbox. As I listened to “Last One to Know” by Leah Nobel, I pulled up my flight itinerary and compared it with other available flights leaving later today or early tomorrow. Within a few minutes, I was able to find a flight that left at five o’clock that very evening for only sixty dollars more than my original ticket price.

“Do I want to leave that soon?” I said aloud to myself. I glanced at the clock on the top corner of the computer screen. If I left my house by two, I should be able to return the rental car and make it through airport security with time to spare.

I tapped my fingernail on the edge of the computer and contemplated my options. The chakra bracelet Sloan had bought for me was around my wrist and clicked against the side of the computer as I tapped. Staring at it, images of our time together washed over me, provoking another lone tear to slide down my cheek. Then there was this ache. It was an ache I knew I’d feel but never imagined it would be this bad. I hadn’t even left yet, but I already missed Sloan so much.

Moving the mouse, I clicked ‘modify booking’ before giving myself another moment to reconsider. After I thought more about it, I hastily brushed my tears away. No good would come from them now. I’d made my decision.

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