Page 74 of Forever Mine
Chapter 25
Aside from wrapping his arms around me, Scott didn’t say much. He also hadn't let go of my hand since he sat on the towel beside me. The wind lifted his hair and blew it across his face while I watched from the corners of my eyes. We both looked at the sea—or at least that’s what I was doing a moment ago—engrossed in a contemplative silence.
Mom, bless her heart, took Angel for a walk down the beach to collect sea shells. I was pretty sure they wouldn’t be back until Mom thought Scott and I had enough time to talk things through.
He turned toward me and gently squeezed my fingers. “I'd ask if you're okay, but I know you're not.”
I didn't answer and after a moment, he sighed.
The hurt in his eyes pained me, but I wasn't about to act lovey-dovey with him simply because he came back. He had a lot of explaining to do before I'd be satisfied.
“We can talk later,” I said, to pacify him. The smudges under his bloodshot eyes made me think he was tired. I frowned into his face. “You look as if you could use some sleep.”
He nodded and stifled a yawn. “Now that you mention it, an eight-hour stretch wouldn't do me any harm. It's been tough these past few days.”
“How are your parents coping?”
“They're all right.”
I noticed he didn't exactly answer my question, but with Mom and Angel a few feet away, I didn't expect anything else. Surreptitiously, I checked out what he wore. Tee-shirt, khaki shorts, and open-toed sandals. “How did you get here?”
“I asked Charles to take me.”
“Straight from the airport?”
“No, I dropped off my suitcase and changed my clothes. Then, I went over to your place.”
The wind whistled between us and I almost didn’t hear his question. “Why wouldn't you answer my messages?”
“Some things are better said in person.”
He gave me the side-eye, before he said, “You wouldn't answer my phone calls.”
“I needed time.”
“Time for what?”
The terse edge to his voice didn’t go unnoticed, but I stayed calm. “To process some things,” I said.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Some things I could have told you if you’d just spoken to me.”
I turned to look at him. “And some things I can only discuss with you face to face.”
“I agree, but since I was away, I thought you’d have given me the chance to tell you everything by the means we had available to communicate.”
With my thoughts in turmoil, I took a moment to collect myself. Hugging my legs, I stared out to sea. “I needed time to clear my mind and think about us.”
He looked deep into my eyes and let his hand rest on my shoulder. Then he moved closer and spoke next to my ear. “I'm sorry.”
I didn't look at him, but asked, “For what?”
“Everything. I can only guess how messy all of this looks to you, and it is, but I promise you, it'll be all right.”
I tamped down the hope rising inside me. I couldn't lie. I wanted us in a way I didn’t before, but it remained to be seen where we'd go from here.
After we shared the sandwiches and drinks we’d brought from home with Scott, and had another swim, I gathered our things. Mom, Angel, and I washed the salt off our skin and we all headed back to Kingston.
At Mom's house, we went inside and left Angel to entertain Scott in the living room. When Mom and I stood in the kitchen, she said, “I suspect you two have a lot to talk about, so why not leave Angel here and pick her up later?”