Page 30 of Heal Me, Love Me

“Okay.” Keaton’s expression turned sad, and I hated being the reason for it, but I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he and Devon had history, and I needed space to process.

“I need some time.”

“I understand.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you.”

“Then text me later.”

“I will.”

He nodded, but his expression stayed guarded. “And don’t disappear on me again.”

“At least it wasn’t four years,” I deadpanned.

Keaton went still.

Shit.

“That was a bad joke.” I grimaced.

“Yeah, it was.”

“I promise I won’t disappear on you again.”

He nodded, but the guarded look remained on his face.

I had more to tell him; I knew it the second the silence settled between us again. I could’ve waited. I could’ve let him get in his car and told myself it wasn’t the right time, but that was how I kept getting us into trouble.

“I need to tell you something else.” I swallowed hard.

“Okay?” he asked hesitantly.

“I told my parents.”

His brow furrowed. “Told them what?”

“About me.” I took a deep breath. “About us.”

His lips parted slightly, and he glanced toward the river. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“When?”

“Last night, after I showed up at their house out of the blue.”

His gaze returned to mine, and for a second, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking. I saw surprise there, maybe hurt, and something else I didn’t know how to name.

I continued. “I was trying to explain why I’d left LA and shown up at their door without calling first, but that doesn’t make it okay. I didn’t ask you whether they could know. I didn’t think it through before I said it, and I’m sorry.”

He stayed quiet.

Too quiet.

The water rushing softly over the nearby rocks should have soothed me, but each passing second made my heart beat faster. “Say something,” I urged.

He dragged a hand across his mouth. “Did they freak out?”