Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
He had moved on, falling in love with someone else who would stay here with him and care for him. Why would he want to be with me when I was just going to turn around and leave?
“I should go to bed,” I told him as I abruptly stood up off the couch.
“Delilah…” Ryder sighed as he started to reach for me.
I stepped away before he could touch me. I didn’t want him to take pity on me or say words that he didn’t mean. I heard what I needed to.
We weren’t getting back together.
Without looking at him, I hurried out of the studio before the first tear trailed down my cheek.
Chapter 8
Ryder
I almost kissed Delilah. I almost cheated on my girlfriend.
Guilt and confusion overwhelmed me as I got ready the next morning, planning to take Kerrie out to breakfast. I knew it didn’t fix the fact that I almost kissed the first love of my life, but I needed to focus more on my current relationship rather than my past one.
That was why I was taking her out on this date. When Kerrie and I first started dating, there was some excitement in the honeymoon phase. I just needed to bring that spark back.
I left my bedroom and walked down the hallway, pausing outside of Delilah’s bedroom. Not a single sound came from inside. I frowned, feeling terrible that I hurt her feelings like that. If I was single, maybe things would be different because I could think about what a relationship with her would be like.
But she was a New York girl now. She would never stay here with me, and I knew that she wouldn’t drag me to the city. My home was here.
I headed out of the ranch house and got in my black truck, traveling ten minutes to get to Kerrie’s house. I hopped out once she walked out of her house in flared jeans and a white blouse. She looked beautiful with her hair fixed down, and I swept her up in a hug.
“Hey, beautiful,” I greeted her.
Kerrie hugged me back with a light laugh.
“Oh, hello,” she said. “You’re in a good mood this morning.”
I shrugged and led her to the truck, opening the door for her.
“It’s just another good day,” I replied, not wanting her to know that I was putting in extra effort today. I didn’t want to have to, but Kerrie and I just acted like acquaintances day to day.
“So, how’s it been working with that country star?” Kerrie asked as I drove into town.
My blood ran cold for a moment. Did she suspect something? I hadn’t told her anything about Delilah or our past.
“Fine. We’re getting some work done,” I replied.
Kerrie nodded and fell silent, typing away on her phone.
“How have you been doing?” I asked her, having not heard much from her since Delilah came back into town.
“Good. My nurse friend scored a travel gig. She’s in Hawaii right now. So lucky.”
I tapped my finger against the steering wheel as I turned into the parking lot of Sunnyside Up Diner, the only breakfast place in town besides a local coffee shop that served baked goods.
“Are you really wanting to do the travel thing?” I asked her. She had mentioned it a few times.
“It’d be cool. I could see the world, get paid a lot, and help people,” Kerrie replied with a shrug.
“Sounds like too good of a deal to pass up,” I said. I wanted her to do what she wanted, what would make her happy. I was getting to live my dream, so I wanted others to be able to as well.
Kerrie bit into the side of her cheek and nodded.
I parked and shut off my truck, getting out and leading her inside to one of the bright yellow and white booths. Once we ordered the special and orange juice for me and coffee for her, I peered across the table at her.
“We should do this more often,” I told her.
Kerrie smiled a little.
“Yeah, whenever I don’t have a morning shift. I might start taking yoga classes with Jennifer, though,” she said.
Her life was so busy. I felt like I only took up a fraction of it, but I just didn’t feel the desire to be needy, to ask for more attention. I was focused on other things too, but I knew that my relationship should be farther up on my priorities list.
I reached across the table and took her hand, expecting to feel some warm or electrifying feeling like I did when my hand touched Delilah’s.
But I didn’t. It just felt like I was holding a person’s hand without any emotion tied to it but disappointment because I wanted to feel more. I thought that this date would help, but it only made me feel worse.
We made small talk, but our conversation felt stale. We had it all the time, and even though I knew her because we had been together for a minute, I couldn’t read her all that well. Maybe I didn’t actually know her.