Page 49 of Bookworm
“I’m sorry. I just assumed you’d be fine. I knew you were off to Dartmouth and were planning to leave without ever telling me.”
I thoughtIwas the one devastated by that break up. Sure, I knew Adam had been sad, but the world wouldn’t stopreminding me how much he had going for him… I’d never imagined that he would fall into a depression like that over me.
Sliding my hand to his knee, I gave him what I hoped was a comforting squeeze. “This time is different, though, Adam. We still have weeks together to figure out what to do. I’m not ghosting you. I’m not even sure I’m leaving at all yet. I’m sorry you heard that… but I’m also not going to apologize for talking through a huge decision with my best friend. Especially when it’s only been a week.”
He looked up from his hands, his hair now sticking out in several directions. “Can I at least take part in the conversation this time? You can talk it out with your best friend and Addy and your Dad and whomever else you want to. But promise me you’ll also talk it out withme.”
I nodded and cupped his sharp jaw, a little stubble scraping my palm despite the fact that I’d just heard him shaving forty minutes earlier. “I promise. I like you, Adam. I like you a lot.”
The grim expression twisting his mouth into a frown softened, his eyes glistening against the morning light streaming in through the crack of the curtains. “I…” He paused, searching my gaze for a long moment.
My heart sputtered to a stop like a dying engine in my chest. I knew that expression. I knew that look in his eyes. I’d seen it before. Watched it in his eyes years ago before the first time he told me he loved me.
I sucked in a breath, waiting. Waiting for the words to come.
“I like you too, Harper.”
With a lurch, my heart started again. I blinked, the spell vanishing like the steam dying in the air around us.
Leaning forward, he pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to my lips, then stood. “I have to get to class. I’ll see you in the library later this afternoon?”
“Yeah.” I forced a smile and nodded, repeating my own words back in my head.
It’s only been a week.
Well, A week and seven years.
Chapter Fourteen
It was pointless for me to stick around the apartment with Jules after Adam left.
I spent another hour, sipping way too much coffee and putting the final touches on pressing the glue down onPride & Prejudice.But until that glue dried, I had nothing else to do here at the apartment.
So I packed my supplies and headed off toward the campus library.
It wasn’t until my phone rang nearly four hours later that I realized how much time had passed. I looked at my screen, smiling at Addy’s name flashing across. “Hey,” I answered.
In the background, I could hear my little brothers wreaking havoc, running around, making shooting noises. “Stop running in the house!” I pulled the phone away from my ear just in time to avoid Addy shouting right into the receiver. “Ugh, sorry about that,” she sighed. “What’s up?”
“Ummm…youcalled me. What’s up with you?”
“Oh. Right. This whole pregnancy brain thing is so real.”
“Oh my God!” I squealed and jumped up and down in place. “Addy, are you pregnant?”
“What!? No. God no. Bite your tongue, girl.”
I stopped jumping in place. “But you said pregnancy brain.”
“I meant from when I was pregnant withLacey.”
“But you haven’t been pregnant with her in?—”
“Please, Addy. Just give this to me.”
I snapped my mouth shut. “Right. Pregnancy brain. Got it.”
“Anyway, I wanted to see if you wanted to come to Maple Grove this weekend! We haven’t seen you since that first night and I had to explain to Lacey that her big sister isn’t avoiding us and does in fact still love us very much.”
