Just One Year(36)

***

A few days later, my stomach was in knots as I watched Veronica pack for her trip home to Minnesota for the holidays.

If there was one benefit to Archie’s recent stint at the house, it was that he’d pushed me to do something I’d known I had to. I was about to end things with Veronica—not so I could start something with Teagan, but because I didn’t want to lead Veronica on anymore. Being with Teagan wasn’t an option. I would still be leaving at the end of the year, and it wasn’t wise for me to get involved with anyone at this point, least of all Teagan, regardless of whatever undeniable feelings I might have.

Veronica zipped her carry-on bag. “I’m gonna miss you.”

That was my cue to rip the Band-Aid off. Knowing what was about to happen while she seemed to have no clue was excruciating. My heart pounded. I did care for her. I just wasn’t falling in love with her and didn’t think I ever would be. She deserved better.

Rubbing my sweaty palms together, I came out with it, “We need to talk, Veronica.”

She’d just opened a drawer when she froze and looked at me. “I don’t like the sound of that. I don’t like the look on your face, either.”

Spit it out. “I don’t want to hurt you. You’ve been so good to me. And being with you has been a highlight of my life. But I have to be honest, and I just don’t see this working out long term.”

She placed a hand on her chest. “Oh my God. What are you saying? I knew you were going to do this to me!”

Her reaction only made things harder. “I’m going back to London at the end of the school year, and it’s not going to work out between us. I think it’s best if we end things now. It’s only going to hurt more the longer we’re together.”

“So that’s it? You’re breaking up with me right before Christmas? You knew all along that this was our fate?”

“It’s not like that. I only recently realized this needed to happen. My intention is not to ruin your Christmas. I figured this was the best time to part ways. You’ll have your family around you as a distraction, and when you come back, the new semester will be like a fresh start.”

“How thoughtful of you,” she said facetiously. “So you had your fun with me this semester, fucked me repeatedly, and this is my Christmas present?”

Sometimes, you needed to know when to shut up. That question was not meant to be answered. I couldn’t blame her for being upset.

“I know this sucks. I’m sorry, Veronica.”

“Yeah, me, too.” She started throwing a bunch of her clothes in the suitcase. “Go. Just go. There’s nothing more to say here.”

I wasn’t going to feed her a line of bullshit, like we should keep in touch or remain friends. I knew better. That wouldn’t benefit either of us.

“Take care of yourself,” I said before leaving.

Despite feeling like crap for hurting her, I walked home from her dorm with a sense of freedom I hadn’t experienced since landing in Boston.

Relief.

Veronica and I had started dating almost as soon as I arrived. While I’d always look back fondly on my time with her, it had been too much too soon.

Breathing in the cold winter air, I felt euphoric for the first time in a long time, completely unsure of the future and perfectly okay with that.

***

Archie may have left the Carroll residence, but he didn’t go quietly.

Bugger.

When I arrived back at the house after leaving Veronica’s, taped to my bedroom door was a photo of Archie and me taken when we were about ten years old. We wore matching sailor costumes and had on our tap shoes. Our hands were sticking straight out in the same pose.

Shelley giggled behind me.

I ripped the photo off the door. “Did you put this here?”

“Archie gave me that before he left. He said I could do whatever I wanted with it. You guys were so cute.”

Teagan called up from the bottom of the stairs. “What’s so funny?”

Great.

“Nothing,” I shouted.

Shelley yelled down. “You have to see this, Teagan!”

Teagan rushed up and caught sight of the photo in my hand. “Oh my God. Is that you and Archie?”

“Afraid so.”

“You were adorable. Both of you.”

“I suppose I have to own it now, don’t I? I was quite good, actually. Tap dancing was probably the one area where I outperformed Archie, even though it technically wasn’t a competition.”

Teagan arched her brow. “So, if I were to go out today and buy you a pair of tap shoes, you’d be able to tap? Like Fred Astaire?”

My brow furrowed. “Is that a dare, Ms. Carroll?”

Shelley clapped her hands and jumped. “Do it! Do it!”

A brilliant idea came to me in that moment. “I’ll tell you what. I’d be willing to display my tap dance skills publicly through the streets of Boston if you forego your one-thousand-dollar requirement and have dinner out with me dressed in your dolphin costume.”

Teagan’s mouth went agape.

I thought she’d never go for it, but then she said, “Oh...this is tempting.”

“Think about it.”

“Actually, I don’t have to. Provided they let me take the costume home with me this Friday, you have a deal for dinner on Saturday night. Unless you have plans?”