Page 39 of Until He Confesses

We shared a quiet laugh but then just as the moment of ease came, it soon disappeared.

“So…” she said. “What exactly are you here for? As far as I know that little vacation between you two has ended.”

“It has,” I admitted. “But I want it back.”

She stared at me, and I was no stranger to moments like this when she got serious about something that mattered to her.

“I don’t think you should expect anything beyond that from her,” she said. “I mean you both had fun. That was what the agreement was right?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “But as I said I want more, and I know she wants more too. What I can’t figure out… what I’ve been unable to figure out is why she seems to want nothing to do with me.”

“It was the same back when we were in school and it’s the same now. I’m not asking for a relationship with her. Neither of us wants that so why can’t we both have what we do want?”

She looked at me and then she smiled.

“Take this with a grain of salt,” she said. “But what if what she actually wants from you is more?”

I watched to see if she was joking, but when I couldn’t find any trace of it, I frowned.

“What do you mean? If that was what she wanted with me earlier, then why did she call things off with me back in high school?”

Anna stared at me long and hard, and I wondered why. When she opened her lips to respond, no words came out.

I waited until eventually, she sighed.

“I’ve always had this feeling, but I think now it’s becoming more obvious to me that you both really need to talk. And you mister, need to tell the truth.”

My frown deepened.

“What does that mean?”

She hesitated, but eventually, she said what she wanted to.

“You cheated on her,” she said. “Back in high school. She found out and gave you multiple opportunities to come clean, but you didn't, even till the end.”

Internally I went cold.

“What?”

She seemed confused.

“This isn’t true?”

“What do you mean by ‘this isn’t true’? Why the hell would I have cheated on the only woman I’ve ever-” I stopped myself then unable to continue. I was fuming and so before I could stop, I got to my feet.

“That was why she ended things with me? She thought I cheated on her and didn’t care to confirm with me?”

“She was hurt, Lucas, and you know how she is. Loyalty and honesty mean everything to her. She wanted to give you time to admit it to her, but when you still tried to find ways to remain with her after college… it felt like a complete lack of respect and concern for her and her wellbeing.”

“What?”

At my reaction, Anna looked even more doubtful of her words.

She rose to her feet.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have said anything. The relationship between you two is quite complicated so I think it’s best that I don’t get involved any further.”

With a sigh, I shook my head and then looked around at the assortment of bags.