Page 14 of Love You Still
“Does he know I’m here?”
“Not yet, but you know how news travels.” Connor runs his hand down his face before stuffing it into his pocket and pinning me in place with his stare. “He never really got over you, Seli.”
“I’m sure he’s been fine without me. Plenty of fish in the sea. Isn’t that how the saying goes?” I swallow around the lump in my throat.
Searing pain shoots through my body as I remember what I saw that night on the back porch of Connor’s parents’ house. A girl I’d never seen before with her arms wrapped tightly around him, her lips pressed gently against his cheek. To most people, it would have seemed innocent, but I saw his face. The look of pure bliss as he melted into her arms. He never used to look at anyone like that but me. And I thought he never would, until that night.
“Maybe for you…” Connor’s voice trails off, then he sighs. “It was nice seeing you, Selina. Someone will be here on Monday to get started on the work.”
“Someone? I thought you would do the work.”
“We have a dependable crew of guys that can get the job done. Either Vance or I will probably stop in during the day to make sure everything is going okay.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. “Here’s our card. Just call the office or my cell if you have questions.”
I take the card from his outstretched hand with a smile. “It was good to see you, Connor. I really mean that.”
“It was good to see you, too, Seli.” He smiles before pulling the door open and stepping through it.
As the door closes softly behind him, I flop down into one of the chairs and try to imagine what it will be like to see Vance again for the first time since I left. My heart broke the night I left Tyson’s Creek without saying goodbye, and it broke a second time on the night I caught him with someone else. However things played out for the two of us, I can’t help but believe it was easier this way.
The time apart allowed us to grow up and see the world clearly. No one meets their soul mate when they’re five years old. Seeing him in the arms of another woman on one of the worst days of my life was a wake-up call, reminding me I made the right decision to go to New York. To choose my career over what we had because I would’ve died if I had to stay here and watch it fade into nothing more than a dream. If I could turn back the clock, I know I would have given anything to be the woman he wanted, the woman that was meant for the future he had painted for us, but sometimes things don’t work out the way we want them to.
Sometimes the past is best left in the past. I came home to get back into shape and rekindle my love of dancing before going back to New York. I left Tyson’s Creek with a dream, and I won’t let Vance Kirkland or anyone else stand in my way of achieving it.
Chapter 7
Vance
I’ve spent most of my day working on paperwork, trying to finish our quarterly taxes before the deadline next month. I lean back in my chair, glancing out the window at the guys as they leave for the day. I always wanted to be the owner of my own construction company, because working with my hands has always been something I’ve been good at.
“Hey, man,” I say to my best friend as he walks into the office. “How was your afternoon with Ms. Cassandra? Did she find a buyer for the studio?”
Silence fills the room as I look up from the paperwork on my desk and notice the serious look on his face. Immediately pushing my chair back from the desk, I stand and make my way toward Connor.
“Is Jade all right? Your parents?” I ask, placing both my hands on his shoulders to get his attention. “Whatever it is, man, you’ll get through it.We’llget through it. Together, like always.”
Every muscle in my body tightens as I brace myself for whatever he has to say. Connor was there for me when my entire world came tumbling down around me, even when he should have been focusing on himself. I was a complete mess when Selina left without a word. At first, I hoped that she’d come toher senses and come back to me, finally understanding that the distance between us was nothing and that if we loved each other, we could make it through everything. But when she didn’t even look in my direction at Lydia’s funeral, I knew I needed to try to move on, putting that part of my life behind me, but that was easier said than done.
Connor was there for me, helping me pick up the pieces of my broken heart while also learning how to take care of his daughter without the love of his life beside him. Jade and his parents are the only things he has left in this world. If something happened to them, I don’t want to imagine what that would do to him.
“My family’s fine. It’s you I’m worried about right now.” He steps to the side, heading for his desk.
My shoulders sag in relief as I wait patiently for Connor to collect his thoughts. He takes off his jacket and sets his tool belt and keys on the desk. If it was anyone else, I’d be peppering them with questions. Connor and I have been friends our entire lives, and I know he won’t tell me anything until he gets his thoughts in order. No amount of pestering from me is going to make him process whatever he’s about to tell me any faster, no matter how much I’d like it to.
“Why are you worried about me?” I question nervously, reaching up and gripping the back of my neck. “The most stressful thing I’ve done all day is work on our quarterly taxes.”
“Why don’t you have a seat?” His gruff voice is laced with sympathy as he pulls out the chair in front of his desk for me to sit.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight as a sense of impending doom overcomes me. I don’t know what has Connor so riled up, but whatever it is, it’s obviously serious.
“You’re freaking me out, man.” I chuckle as I sit in the chair in front of his desk. “Rip it off like a Band-Aid and just tell me.”
I try to make a joke out of this situation, but in reality, I’m sweating figurative bullets. Since Connor says there’s nothing wrong with Jade or his parents, that only leaves one other reason for him to be this concerned about my well-being. Selina Grymes. I grip the arm of the chair so tight that my knuckles turn white from the pressure.
“Selina’s back.”
That small phrase feels like a punch in the gut as I buckle over and rest my arms on my knees.
“Fuck!” I shout, dropping my head into my hands.