Page 123 of Unraveling Rain
And I need to wrap things up here—fast—so I can go be with him.
Dennis: Rain, I know you’ve been reading my texts. All I want is to talk to you. Please.
Dennis: I thought that by now we both were adults and could have a conversation, but I guess you still are the same entitled, spoiled little girl I knew all those years ago.
Dennis: Even if I have to go back to Azalea Creek, something I swore I wouldn’t ever do again, I’ll do it. I need closure, and now that you have come back into my life, I need to deal with this.
My blood turns cold the moment I read his last text.
God, please let him be bluffing.
Please let him stay the hell away from this town.
From me.
Chapter 32
Xander
It’s been three weeks since I got back from Massachusetts.
Three weeks since I last saw Rain.
Her silence has been killing me. But she asked for space, and I’m trying—reallytrying—to give it to her.
The weather’s shifting now. The air’s crisper, the leaves are starting to turn. I thought Rain would be here by fall. I thought we’d be picking apples or stargazing in the park. But now? I don’t know if she’seven coming at all.
Tomorrow’s my first home game of the season. And if she’s not there… I honestly don’t know how I’m going to get through it.
Maybe she wanted to let me down easy so I wouldn’t run back to her?
Maybe after meeting my folks, she realized I’m not the man she wants after all?
I shake the thought from my mind and toss my towel into the hamper. I grab a fresh pair of boxers and pull on my team tracksuit. We’ve got one final practice before the game, and I need to clear my head if I want to show up like I’m serious about this.
But as I slide into the driver’s seat and start heading to the arena, a thought hits me out of nowhere.
“Hello?”
“Gio? It’s Xander.”
“Hey, man. How’s it going?”
I let out a breath, scratching my head. God, maybe this was a mistake.
“I’m okay,” I say. “Tomorrow’s the home opener.”
I try to sound excited, but even I can hear the flatness in my voice.
“Oh yeah,” he replies, a smile in his voice. “Ruin was asking the other day how to watch your games.”
There’s a beat of silence, then I just say it. “Listen, Gio… I’m sorry to call, but you said I could reach out anytime, and right now, I’m hanging by a thread.”
I grip the wheel tighter.
“I’m not sure how much you know, but Rain’s been distant since we got back from visiting my family. She asked for space, and I’ve respected that, but… I don't know how much longer I can keep pretending I’m okay. If she’s not there tomorrow…”
The line is quiet for a beat, then I hear a faint whoosh of air.
