Page 57 of Harmony Island Gazette
She looked at it for a moment before she held out her hand and let me drop her phone into her palm. “I need you to leave.” She wrapped her fingers around the phone.
I stared at her, confused by her reaction. “Are you okay?” I asked. “Did Kevin?—”
“I’m not going to talk to you about Kevin.” She wrapped her arms around her chest as if she were hugging herself.
“Okay,” I said. I’d never tried to push her out of her comfort zone. If she wanted to keep to herself, I was more than willing to let her do that.
“You should be ashamed of yourself.” Juniper’s words were cold and sliced through me like a hot knife through butter. I stared at her as I tried to figure out what she was saying. “How could you do that? Make me trust you when it was all a lie.” Her eyes narrowed.
“Juniper, I…” Did she find out about my mom? Did she learn about how I’d failed her? Did she realize it was a sad joke that I thought I could somehow make up for my failure by saving her?
“How long were you going to keep pretending? Was it until I told you all my secrets?”
Tears flooded her eyes, and that’s when I realized why she was crying. It wasn’t because of Kevin. It was because of…me.
“You made me trust you. I told you things I wouldn’t tell anyone else.” Her voice was cracking, and with each tear that slid down her cheek, my heart shattered again and again. “Get out of my house.”
I stared at her. I didn’t want to leave. She made me feel alive. She was my sun, my moon, the air I needed to breathe. I feared that if I left, I’d die.
I didn’t want to leave, but my presence was breaking her. I wanted to fix this; I just didn’t know how.
“I wish you’d never come here,” she whispered. “I can’t believe I listened to your lies.”
“I’m so sorry, Juniper.” That was all I could say. I wanted to change her mind about me, but anything I said would be a lie. She was right for walking away. For asking me to leave. I didn’t deserve to be around her. I’d been selfish for too long. And if I didn’t obey her request and leave, I was never going to have the strength to walk away.
“Yeah right.” Her gaze was dark as she glared at me. “Just tell Kevin that we’re over.”
I frowned. Tell Kevin? Why would I tell Kevin?
But before I could get the question out, she stepped back and closed the door behind her, leaving me to stare at the dark wood. I wanted to knock on the door. I wanted to ask her what she meant. But I realized that was an exercise in futility. She wanted me gone, so I was going to leave.
The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her, and standing in her hallway seemed to be breaking her in a way that I could never forgive myself for. So, I was going to walk away.
I headed into the living room and shoved my things into my bag. I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste from the bathroom and walked back into the living room. I passed by my bag and grabbed the strap as I swung it up onto my shoulder.
I pulled open the front door and locked it before I shut it behind me. I bounded down the front steps and over to my truck. I threw my bag into the bed and climbed into the driver’s seat. I threw it into reverse and backed out of the driveway.
I wasn’t sure where I was going. I thought about going back to the shop. After all, I’d kind of left Kate there to fend for herself. But the last thing I wanted was for Juniper to show up and see me there. It was apparent that I’d already put her through hell, I wasn’t going to do it again.
I drove around town for about an hour before I found myself parked outside of Harmony Cove. I stared at the houses that lined the main road leading into the community. This was the only place on the island where I actually belonged. And that was a stretch.
I took a right and drove until I found myself parked in front of Mom’s house. It looked exactly like it had yesterday morning. I turned off my engine and threw my keys onto the passenger seat before reclining all the way back. I stared up at the ceiling of my truck and took in a deep breath.
I closed my eyes as my conversation with Juniper played in a loop in my mind. I shook my head as my entire body ached to go back to her. To pull her close and protect her forever. She was hurting, and I would do anything to take that hurt away.
The problem was, I was the one who had hurt her. I would never, ever forgive myself for that. She deserved the world. So, I was going to leave her alone. And when everything was settled with my mother’s house, I’d leave Harmony for good.
I’d fallen in love with Juniper, but she didn’t feel the same. I didn’t blame her. After what I’d done, she was right to walk away. I just hoped she’d find the happiness she deserved. I’d wanted to give her that happiness—but it was clear now, I’d never get the chance.
I was already dead, but she has so much life left. It was time I got out of her way and let her live it.
21
JUNIPER
My entire body ached as I rolled over and grabbed my phone from my nightstand Friday morning. My eyes hurt. My throat hurt. My body hurt.
I’d spent the night tossing and turning, unable to get Boone’s stare out of my head. He looked so broken and confused as he stood in my hallway after I told him to leave. Once I shut the door, I spent an eternity battling with myself until the desire to pull open the door and retract my words won. But he was gone by then. Everything that he owned was gone.
