“You sound different…why do you sound different?” He tried to catch my gaze. “Did someone say something to you? Was it Staci? Because there’s nothing going on between us, you know that.”
“This has nothing to do with Staci.” I tried to remain calm. “It’s just time for me to go home.”
“No.”
His demanding tone irked me. “No?”
“No. You’re not going.” He lifted my suitcase and threw it back on the bed.
I yanked it off. “I have a life to get back to.”
“A life?” he spat out. “You’re not living. You’re barely treading water. I can give you the life you deserve.”
My lower lip trembled as I attempted to leave. “I don’t want you to be my savior, Adam.”
“I’m not trying to rescue you, Cassidy.” He stepped in front of me until I almost collided with him. “I’m in love with you.”
I fell back a step. “You don’t mean that. You’re grieving, and you’re not thinking clearly.”
His eyes never left mine. “My mind has never felt so clear.”
“Well, mine isn’t.” The anger I was holding onto bubbled to the surface. “You’ve been clouding my judgment this whole time. With your looks and your charm…and your…your broody McBroodface. It was wrong of me to get involved with you. It was reckless and unprofessional…and it could never work.”
Adam ran his hand through his hair. “Fuck, Cass, where’s all this coming from?”
“Just let me go, Adam…”
“No.” He followed me out into the hallway. “Not until you tell me what I’ve done.”
I shook my head vigorously, fighting the burn of my tears. “It will only make it more true.”
“What more true?”
“Excuse me, I have a car waiting.”
“Cass!”
I glared into his wild blue eyes and aimed for his heart. “I can’t love you, Adam. So, you have to let me go.”
Before his pain could infiltrate my soul, I spun around and kept walking, only to flinch when the priceless vase that rested on the console between our rooms shattered all over the hallway wall.
38
Three Weeks Later
“Come on, Mom,” Finn cried out. “You can finish packing later. Coach said I need to be at the pool early.”
“Alright, alright!” I placed down the tape dispenser and flattened my disheveled hair. “I’ll go change.”
The last three weeks had been chaotic. Between Finn’s impending race and preparing for our move across the country, I had a lot on my plate. It was partially deliberate on my part. The busier I was, the better. I needed to keep Adam and his family far from my mind, so when Finn was offered a swimming scholarship on the West Coast after camp, I jumped into action. The only thing holding us back now was his swimming final.
Thankfully, Tash and Bryce had offered us a room at their house, which gave us time to look for a place instead of renting something, sight unseen. Since leaving Harlow Manor earlier than planned, we had less money to play with, so our rental price range had to be adjusted. We could still afford a small house with a backyard, but much to Finn’s dismay, a pool was now out of the question.
As I handed Finn his backpack and towel and kissed his cheek in front of the swim center, a familiar sensation rolled over me.
Finn’s eyes lit up when they diverted over my shoulder. “Adam!” he cried, bolting away.
I jerked upright and slowly turned to see my son squeezing Adam’s waist.