Page 56 of Mine to Hold
“Sure, but that was when you were a kid with big dreams who felt like he was missing out on what the world had to offer. You’re not a kid anymore. You’ve seen what’s out there. As for your visit before the wedding, I doubt you really focused on what it might be like to settle down there. And after, it sounds like the only thing you were thinking about was how to get her to leave with you. What if you go back there and try to live there with her now, as an adult? Give her lifestyle a real try.”
I scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. I’m a world traveler and Rockdale is Nowheresville. Seriously, had you ever even heard of the place before you met me?”
“No, but why does that matter? It’s where she lives and it’s where you’re from. Besides, it’s not like you’re ever going to be able to keep traveling the way you have been forever. Everyone settles down eventually, but more especially so if they actually want to get married, have kids, and do all those things that you want to do.”
“Yeah, maybe eventually, but not now. What would I even do there?”
“I don’t know, but you can always figure it out. It’s not like you can’t afford to take the time off to investigate the options available to you. Hell, you can even afford to retire if you want to. Plus, you’ll still be getting one hell of a passive income on account of your shares in the company.”
“True, but Rockdale?” I frowned, rubbing my forehead as I thought it over. “It’s barely even a speck on the map of Ohio.”
“Okay, but are you happier in Europe without her than you could be in Rockdale with her? That’s what it boils down to and you know it. Right now, you’re in France and you were just telling me that it’s not as great without her there, so why not just go and give Rockdale a try?”
I sighed, but he did make a few good points. “I’ll think about it, but in the meantime, how’s Reece? I’ve tried calling him a few times but he’s not picking up.”
“The whole gang has tried to console him, but he’s mired deep in depression if you ask me. He’s still drinking too much, he’s gambling, and I’m very fucking worried, but we’re all keeping an eye on him and that’s about the best we can do. We’ve tried to talk him into stopping with all the risky behaviors, but he’s not biting and we can’t exactly force him.”
“At least we’re all still sticking with him,” I said. “He’ll get through this. Let me know if there’s anything I can do, okay?”
“Will do,” he said. “I’ve got to go, but think about giving Rockdale a shot and let me know what you decide. I think you could be happy there, man. I’d have moved to the moon for Isabella if I had to.”
We hung up a few minutes later, and though I hadn’t planned on giving it any real thought, I couldn’t stop thinking about his advice.Could I go back to Rockdale? Could I live there? What about my career? What about my life?
I didn’t know what to do or what to think, but I couldn’t carry on like this. Something had to give. I just didn’t know what yet.
36
EMMA
Teddy laughed, shaking her head at Max, Scott’s friend, before she took a sip of her wine. “No, it wasn’t like that. Emma and I have both always been bookworms. We weren’t trying to get locked into the school swimming pool to have a party there or to let anyone in after hours. We just got comfortable and so absorbed in the book of the week for our book club that we didn’t realize it was closing time. The security guard wouldn’t believe us, though. He was so angry.”
Max glanced at me and chuckled. “I’m not sure I’d have believed you, either. Two pretty girls, trying to stay behind after he’s locked up? I definitely would’ve thought you were up to something.”
Scott nodded, a goofy smile on his face as he turned toward his wife. “I bet you were the prettiest girl in school. No way would I have bought that you guys were alone and just reading.”
Her cheeks flushed as she swatted playfully at his shoulder. “I wasnotthe prettiest girl in school. That was Marvel Jenkins. Do you remember her?”
She looked at me as she asked the question, obviously trying to draw me back into the conversation. When she’d invited me out to lunch, she’d neglected to mention that Scott and his friend would be joining us.
It had become clear to me almost immediately that they were trying to set us up, but so far, things weren’t going very well. Max was a nice enough guy, but we had zero in common and he was trying just a little bit too hard for my taste.
I nodded in response to the question, smiling at my best friend even though I wished she would’ve given me a heads-up about this blind date they’d orchestrated. If she had, I’d have been able to save them the trouble. Even so, I was trying to be pleasant and polite. None of them had done anything to deserve how grumpy I truly felt about the situation and just in general at the moment.
“Oh, I remember her, alright. Always tossing her hair and making eyes at the boys. Did you hear that she’s living in Atlanta now?” With her military husband and four kids. I really was one of the last single girls standing from our high school class, which made me even more grumpy as I realized it.
Teddy shrugged and guided the topic back to our exploits from our younger years. The guy was Scott’s friend, so I knew I didn’t have to worry about him being told all these stories about me, but her talking about our high school years was achieving nothing except for making me think about Colt. On the other hand, I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him, so maybe it wasn’t the stories’ fault after all.
I just missed him, and when Scott slid his hand into Teddy’s as we were walking home after lunch, I missed him so much more. Even something as simple as seeing them holding hands made me feel so darn wistful that I didn’t have a clue what to do with myself anymore.
Sighing as I remembered strolling together with him on the streets of Paris where we didn’t need to hide, I blinked away the tears that tried to surface and cleared my throat to ease the tightness there. Teddy didn’t miss it, though.
Once we got home, she let go of Scott and smiled at their house. “Why don’t you go on inside? I’ll be there in a minute. I’m just going to walk Emma home.”
He glanced between us, obviously realizing the same thing I did—Teddy wanted to be alone with me.Crap.
“Sure thing, honey. I’ll see you in a few.” He gave her a peck on her lips before he spun and headed in, and he was barely out of earshot before she grabbed my arm and dragged me over to my front door.
“Okay. It’s time for you to tell me what’s been going on with you lately. You constantly look like you’re on the verge of tears. You never feel like doing anything, and it’s summer, but you’re putting in so many hours with the volunteering program that you’re working all the time. So what gives? You have to come clean and I’m not leaving until you do.”
