Never Doubt Me: Judge Me Not #2(68)

In any case, I don’t want to prolong the conversation and ruin Chase’s last evening with his brother.

We finish up with the dishes, and Chase leans against the side of the sink. He asks me, “Are you sure you don’t want to tag along to the bus station.”

“No”—I stand on my tiptoes, lean toward him, and place a kiss on his cheek—“you should spend these last couple of hours with your brother, just the two of you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, you two go on without me. I’ll say good-bye to Will before he leaves.”

An hour later, I am doing exactly that, out on the front porch. Will has his duffel bag slung over one shoulder and holds the handle of a small suitcase in his hand.

When he sets the suitcase on the porch, Chase grabs it up. “You sure this is everything?” he asks Will.

“Yeah, I made sure I packed everything,” Will replies.

“I’ll meet you at the truck, then, okay?” Chase says. “Take a minute and say good-bye to Kay.”

Chase heads down the porch steps, and I turn to Will.

“Have a safe trip back,” I say as I give him a big hug. “I’m going to miss having you around.”

It’s true. I am going to miss Will. He’s been some trouble, yeah, but his heart is good, just like his brother’s.

Will hugs me back, holding on to me tightly. “I’m so glad I met you, Kay,” he says. “I’m sorry I was an ass at times. But just know I like you. You’re perfect for my brother, in so many ways, and I’m glad he found you. You’re good for him”—his voice cracks—“and he needs you.”

This outpouring of emotion is uncharacteristic of Will, especially on the heels of how calm he’s been the past few days.

I pull back and frown. “Will, is something wrong?”

He rocks back on his heels. “Nah, I guess leaving Ohio is just hitting me more than I thought it would.”

“But I thought you couldn’t wait to go back to Vegas,” I softly inquire.

Will’s eyes dart away, and he rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, uh, I do want to go back. I mean, it’s just best that I do.”

Huh?

When my brow furrows, Will quickly adds, “I mean, with school starting soon and everything.”

“School doesn’t start for three more weeks, Will.”

He laughs, but it’s a hollow sound. “Gotta prepare, though, right?”

Nodding, I say hesitantly, “I guess so.”

Will hoists his duffel bag higher on his shoulder. “I better get going.”

“You can come back to Harmony Creek anytime, you know that, right? Maybe you can even fly out over Christmas break.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Will replies, his voice heavy and sad. “We’ll see.”

He sounds so final, his tone completely lacking hope. I want to ask him what’s really going on here, since something is clearly not right, but just as I open my mouth to do so, Chase calls out from the truck.

“Come on, little bro, we’re gonna be late.”

Will shoots me a sad smile fraught with finality. And then he walks away.

As I watch the Gartner brothers drive away, I have a sense of dread that something is terribly wrong.





Chapter Seventeen


Chase


Will’s departure from Ohio turns out to be uneventful. Sad as f*ck, yes, but there’s no over-the-top drama or anything. Though, as I lie awake the morning following his departure, I reconsider. Maybe I’m missing something. After all, my brother’s behavior at the bus station has kept me from sleeping soundly.

I can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong, though. I mean, Will was very loving before he boarded the bus. In fact, he was the one who initiated a good-bye hug. God knows that shit sure shocked me. Usually, when it comes to my relationship with my brother, I’m the overly emotional sap.

Not last night, though. Last night, it was Will throwing his arms around me, Will who didn’t want to let go.

“You sure you want to go back early?” I jokingly quipped.

I felt him swallow hard, and when he finally pulled back, he wiped at moist eyes.

“Yeah, bro,” he said on a sigh chock full of resignation, “I have to.”

Something felt off, and I gripped his shoulder. “Hey, talk to me.”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing, Chase.”

And then he walked away.

“Will,” I called out. When he turned around, only a few feet away, I smiled and said, “I love you, little bro. Have a safe trip back to Vegas.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled. Turning away once again, he resumed walking toward the line of people boarding the bus. “Being a big brother till the end, I see.”

“You know it,” I retorted.

And then I watched as my little brother boarded the bus with the big nevada placard in the corner of the windshield.

Nevada’s so f*cking far from Ohio; I hate it. Only twelve hours have elapsed since Will left, but I miss him already.

Feeling bereaved, I snuggle as close as I can to Kay, who is fast-asleep next to me.

The sun is just hitting the horizon, and like always, it bathes the bedroom in a hazy, golden glow. I glance down at Kay. My love is gorgeous in this light, all wrapped up in the crisp, new dark-blue sheets she insisted on putting on my bed. Her pale skin looks dewy and translucent, a play of the combination of bright morning light and the dark hue of the sheets.