I contemplate my next move, typing a few things out and erasing them all. I toss my phone into the cupholder and shut the ignition off. Before I even have the chance to mentally talk myself out of it, my knuckles connect with the door, and she’s pulling it open.
“Eric,” She gapes, looking down to the phone she was just texting me on in her hand, “What are you doing here?”
I stare at her, her lengthy hair falling against her bare shoulders where her tank top doesn’t touch. I ache to touch her, to pull her in and brush my skin against hers, but I don’t. I can’t.
“I felt her pulling away,” I admit. “Maybe I rushed it because I thought somehow that ring meant something. It made it feel more permanent, I mean I know that sounds insane, because it is.”
I’m rambling at this point, and Karly reaches out, her fingers wrapping around that damn watch I put on, and pulls me inside.
“You didn’t rush anything. You dated for two years. Are you saying you wouldn’t have proposed if Jameson had not come back?”
I sit on her couch, tossing some blankets out of the way, “I don’t know.”
“You don’t mean that. Not really.” She sighs, sitting on the couch cushion next to me. “You’re just hurt.”
“Do you think she slept with him behind my back?”
It’s the first time I’ve said that out loud, and I can’t believe I even asked, but I want to know.
“No, I don’t.”
“It makes me sick. The whole thing just makes me sick. After I read his letter, I had to walk away because I knew I could never compete with that.”
Karly sighs, grabbing my knee, “It’s not because you aren’t a great guy. You are a great guy. Sometimes our hearts just get stuck with someone, and I think Hanna’s was stuck.”
“What happens if mine was stuck with her?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” She shrugs. “I guess we just have to have faith that things turn out how they’re supposed to.”
I sit back against the couch, “You really believe that?”
“I guess,” She giggles, “Although I’m starting to think I’m meant to be alone.”
“Well, I highly doubt you’ll find your soulmate on Tinder,” I tease.
She slaps my arm playfully, pushing me, “Don’t I get any credit for putting myself out there? I can’t find someone sitting here on my couch watching Netflix.”
“Maybe you don’t need to find someone at all.”
She stares at me, confused, so I begin to backpedal, “I just mean, maybe you should stop trying so hard.”
“Easy for you to say,” She laughs, “I’m sure it’ll be real hard for you to find someone else. You want something to drink?”
Standing, she makes her way into the kitchen.
“Sure.”
She pulls a glass from the cabinet. I stare over my shoulder, mesmerized by how she literally glides around. Every single movement she makes begs for my attention, and honestly, it’s not something I’ve ever noticed before. She pours some whiskey over a block of ice and passes it to me.
“Thanks.”
“Am I gonna have to drive you home and put you to bed like last time?” She laughs nervously.
“Nah,” I sigh, “I think I’ve had more blackouts in the last week than my entire freshman year of college.”
“Well, I can understand why,” She whispers. “I mean, let’s look at it this way. Wouldn’t it have been worse had you gotten married, and then she left you for him?”
I think about what she just said, realizing she’s right, and that’s why I left. That doubt would’ve been permanently wedged in the back of my mind, taunting me. It was the Hanna I’d always known when we were alone, but he brought out a different side of her. A different girl that I didn’t really know at all.