Page 102 of Raff
“I… I can’t do this right now.”
I turned, grabbed my bag, and fled from the room, from the building, from the future Raff was offering, one I knew Icould accept, I could live happily in… even if it wasn’t what I’d planned, even if he wasn’t who I’d pictured myself with.
Because I knew, I knew that if I let myself really think it through—without any of my preconceived ideas—I would come to one conclusion only. That Raff might not be who I thought I wanted… but he was exactly who I needed.
That was too much to confront when I was feeling so raw, so vulnerable, so unlike myself.
So I did the only thing I could.
I ran from it.
From him.
From the building, then half of the town.
All the way back to the motel.
Back to my room.
I didn’t know the mistake I made until it was too late.
“You stupid fucking bitch,” Drake said as he moved to block the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lula
No.
No, no, no, no, no.
Nausea coiled in my gut as my heart lodged itself at the back of my throat.
This could not be happening.
Not after getting everything on track.
“You really thought you could steal from me?”
Had I really thought he was that good-looking when I’d first seen him? I must have been viewing him through the rose-colored glasses of a future I could see with him. Because in the harsh overhead light of the cheap motel room, he wasn’t nearly as appealing as I’d thought.
He was tall, sure, and had that universally attractive oval shape to his face. But the proportions were all over the place. His eyes were a little too small, too close together. His nose had a curve and uneven nostrils. And I guess I’d been distracted from his thin lips because he’d always been charming me with his smiles.
He wasn’t ugly, per se. But he certainly wasn’t as stunning as I’d convinced myself before.
Not nearly as attractive as Raff.
God, Raff.
Why had I run from him?
Why hadn’t I just… been honest? Stayed and talked it out? Maybe gone home with him? Or invited him back to my room?
He could have handled this.
He would know what to do.
Because I was pretty sure he wouldn’t have decided to poke the bear. Which, apparently, was what I’d chosen to go with.
