Page 60 of It Happened Back Then
"Then at least you stood in front of him and said the words. That’s brave, Bloss. And you’ve always been braver than you think. Plus, it gives reasonable doubt for Lief to get off charges when he beats the shit out of him."
I snicker.
"Tell him before your older brother gives him the surprise of his life."
I nod slowly, her words washing over me. Just like Dad said, love is honesty and truth, no matter how painful.
CHAPTER 30 - BENNETT
The moon’s high and bright when I hear the knock on the window.
I know it’s her. I’m sitting on the edge of the bed, phone clenched so tight in my fist the screen might crack. I don’t even turn my head. Just stand up, walk over, and open the damn window.
She climbs through like it’s still 2015 and we’re sneaking around after curfew. She climbs through like she didn’t just vanish for weeks, like she didn’t make me feel like a goddamn idiot.Again.
I return to where I was, seated on the bed, now with my hands braced on my knees, jaw clenched. She sits in the small chair across from me like she’s the one who's been waiting.
“Where have you been?” I ask. I’m surprised at my tone, there’s no emotion. I’m just so tired.
She opens her mouth. “I’ve be?—”
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Your sisters won’t answer. Lief won’t talk to me.” With each word my voice rises, and then that emotion I thought I lost breaks through. “You disappeared, Blossom. Youdisappeared. And you think showing up at my window erases that?”
“I had things I had to work through, and the shower, the wedd?—”
“Excuses,” I snap. “Just fucking excuses.” I let out a laugh, but it’s hollow. “You know Savannah drovehoursto find me. You’re ten minutes away and I couldn’t even get atext.”
“Benn—”
“No. You don’t get to Bennett me right now.” I stand, because if I don’t move, I might break. “You dangle this thing between us like a carrot. And every time I get close, you yank it back. You didn't ever give it a chance to become what it should be, what we’ve always known it to be.”
My voice rises. The control I’ve fought to keep slips with every word.
“I’ve told you what I want. I’ve shown up, time and time again. We made afucking pact, Blossom. Yeah, we were kids, but it meant something to me. Because my wordmeans something. And you’ve known that since the beginning.”
She fires back, angry now. “You also told me you broke up with Savannah. And then she shows up, moves into our fucking town, finds me at the florist, atmyshop! She says all this shit about me keeping you stuck here, like I’m the one holding you back.”
“What are you talking about?” My stomach rolls and my dad mentioning she came by his house plays in my mind again.
“She had plenty to say about how you should be anywhere but here in Bluemoon. How she’d support your career anywhere in the world, and how I’m just some small-town nobody.”
My rage builds, one, because Savannah thinks she has right to talk, but two? Because Blossom believed her.
I scoff. “That’swhy you ghosted me? Because ofher? Jesus, Blossom. Give me a fucking break. You know better than that.”
“I saw her comment on your post. ‘So happy we’re back together.’ What was I supposed to think?”
“We’re together!” I shout, pointing between us. “You and me!”
“Are we?” she fires back. “Because she’s always at the restaurant. She’s always around you. If you won’t tell her to leave, where does that leave me?”
“It leaves you as my girlfriend. Fuck, mywife, if you’d say yes and just stop running.”
“Then stop being in limbo with her! Make a decision!”
I laugh in disbelief. “Make a decision? I’ve beenback and forthwithyoufor a goddamn decade! You don’t think I hated dating other people? Watching you date other people? I did what you asked. I gave you space. I watched you pretend this thing between us didn’t exist.”
Her silence speaks volumes, but I won't let up. I see her spiraling but I’m not backing down. This is going to end tonight.
