Page 14 of Coming Home Country
Why did this keep happening to me? Why did he keep showing up? Wasn’t ten years of active avoidance enough to take the hint that I didn’t want to see him?
Ignoring his question, I bustled about the room, straightening centerpieces and ensuring each place setting included a shower favor.
“This party’s for ladies only.” I didn’t bother to look up as I issued the clear dismissal.
“Well aware,” Tucker drawled. “I came to check on you.”
“I’m fine. You can go now.” My words were clipped, and I didn’t care that I was being rude. Not after all he’d done.
“Is this how it’s going to be all week?”
The absolute nerve of this man.
Whipping around, I yelled, “What do you want from me? To pretend like we’re bosom buddies? Well, guess what? We’re not. What you did was unforgivable, Tucker Grant! Why can’t you leave me the hell alone?”
“Bex Crawford! Mind your manners!” Shame burned through me at my mother’s sharp tone.
“Sorry, Mama.” I turned around slowly, eyes cast down.
“I know I raised you better than that.” She had indeed.
“She’s not to blame, Rose. I’m the one who should be apologizing.” Tucker spoke from behind me, and even though I’d just been reprimanded like a naughty child, the urge to flip him off was strong.
Mama clicked her tongue. “I don’t care that you two have a sour history. You need to figure out a way to be civil in public, for your friends’ sake.”
“What’s going on?” Aspen’s voice had my head snapping up to find her eyes volleying between me and Tucker.
It hit me all at once that my issues were ruining everything. This was the start of a beautiful future for my best friend, and without trying to, I kept drawing everyone’s attention back to me.
I should have never come back here.
So, I did what I did best. I ran.
Moving so fast that the world became a blur, I pushed the lever on a side door and burst into the courtyard, where a few children were climbing trees after service. Rounding the corner of the building, I breathed a sigh of relief when there wasn’t another soul in sight.
Collapsing against the wood siding, I slid to the ground, not caring that I was wearing a dress and the ground was still damp from the morning dew. Hugging my knees to my chest, I dropped my head as the first sob burst free from my chest.
Ten years gone, and it was as if no time at all had passed. My heart still hurt as badly as the day I left. Hearing his voice, seeing his face, had all the pain rushing back to the surface.
And the worst part of all? No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that I hated him, there was still a part of me that knew he was the only man I would ever truly love.
He was married to another woman. He’d chosen her over me.
Those were the facts. They couldn’t be changed.
There were days when I wished I might wake up to find this all to have been a bad dream. To be eighteen again and in love with a boy who vowed that I was his whole world, with our entire lives ahead of us.
But that was a wish that would never come true.
The problem with moving on was that it was impossible when my heart had been left behind in Oklahoma.
Maybe that’s why I’d come home. To retrieve it.
I sensed Aspen’s presence before she spoke. “Are you okay?”
I didn’t bother to look up, my voice hoarse in my reply. “Not even a little bit.”
A heavy sigh sounded. “I told Mac this was a terrible idea.”
