Escaping Me (22 page)

“Oh, that should be fun,” Mallory teases.  “Nothing like meeting his family and crazy ex-girlfriend all in one shot.”

“
Yeah.” I roll my eyes.  “I'm really looking forward to it,” I add sarcastically. 

We get back to work, and by the end of the day, I am exhausted.  Physically, I feel like I've been hit by a truck, thanks to the extreme amount of furniture we moved and my sexcapades over the weekend.  Mentally, I am somewhere between indecisive, stressed out, and blissfully happy.  I throw in the towel when Cole comes pulling up the lane to pick me up.  He shoots me a wink as I get into the cab of his truck.

“Hey babe,” he says as I slide over next to him and kiss his cheek.  “Ready?”

“
Yep,” I nod.  I am definitely ready for something.  I’m just not sure exactly what it is.

* * *

We planned on leaving for the wedding on Friday night, but when Hank asked Cole to meet him at Pauly's after work, we had a change of plans.  Hank insisted that he had something very important to discuss with Cole.  I was kind of relieved because I didn't really feel like spending any more time than I had to with Megan and the rest of the assholes who made Cole feel like he wasn't worth anything. 

I still can’t understand why Cole wants to go in first place.  He told me that he finally feels like he has something worth showing off—meaning me.  I think what he really wants to do was show his brother—and Megan—that he is better off without them in his life.  Give them the old
congratulations
with a side of
kiss my ass.

He comes back from the bar later that night with an entire lot of information he thinks will blow their minds.    The priceless smile on his face has me anticipating something amazing.

“You're never going to believe it,” he grins as he plops down on the couch next to me.  I sit up, waiting for him to continue.  “Hank sold the house.”

“
What do you mean he sold the house?” I ask, shocked.  “Where are you going to live?”

“
Just wait.” He smiles, reaching into his back pocket.  He hands me a check that is made out to him for fifty thousand dollars.

“
Apparently wherever you want,” I choke out.  “What is this?”

“
My cut,” he says.  “Hank gave me half of what he sold the house for because of all the work I did.”

“
That's incredible,” I beam, wrapping my arms around his neck.  “You deserve it.”  Secretly I am hoping he'll suggest using the money to move closer to my school, but before that can happen he drops a bomb on me.

“
He also got me a job, Whit.  Doing the exact same thing I did here.  Can you believe that someone actually wants to hire me to refinish a bunch of old houses?  It's crazy.”  I can see how excited he is.  Not only because he is finally catching a break, but because he is going to get to do something he loves to do.

“
Are there that many places around here to fix up?”

“
That's the only problem with this offer.” He hesitates.  “The job's in Georgia.”

“
Like the state of Georgia?”

“
Yeah,” he confirms.

“
Like, a-thousand-miles-away Georgia?” I ask again, knowing that his answer is going to be the same.  Our dilemma has just increased from a Stage 1 to a Stage 5.  I was really starting to think that we could make a four-hour distance between us work, but now that mileage has just increased drastically.  I cover my face with my hands, willing myself not to cry.  It would be selfish to cry because I am so proud of him and happy that he's been given such an amazing opportunity.

“
I don't have to take the job,” he says, pulling my hands from my face.  “I can find something closer to you.  I can find a different job.  I get the money either way.”  He is being sincere.  I know he means every word of what he is saying, but can I really ask him to do exactly what I've decided I will never do again—follow someone around for love?

“
I can't ask you to do that, Cole.”  I place my palms on his cheeks.  “I can't be the reason you don't do this.”

“
Maybe you haven't noticed, but you're the reason that this has all happened.”  He smiles.  “You're the reason I wanted to fix this place up in the first place.”

“
You have to do this.” I gulp.  “This is a huge deal.  A guarantee for your future.”

“
What about our future?” he asks hesitantly.  I can see it in his eyes that we are both thinking the same thing.  I shake my head, unsure of how to answer him.

I really want to ask him to stay with me, but I don't want to say anything I will regret or, even worse, have him give me an answer he would regret either.  I don't think I can go with him.  It is too close to the start of year to get my credits transferred to a school in Georgia, and I am sure leaving the school my father is paying for would cause his head to spin.  He is footing the bill for it, and I've already rocked the Vandaveer boat enough.  Not to mention, Cole hasn't asked me to go with him.  Then, factor in all the what-if's and unknowns. 
What if I follow him there and it doesn't work out?  What would happen then?  What if I ask him to stay and he doesn't find a job he wants as badly as this one? Will we resent one another for the decisions we've asked each other to make?

“
We don't have to decide anything today.”  He leans in and kisses me.  It feels like it might be one of our last kisses.  “I don't have to decide anything until the end of summer.  I told Hank that I am staying here until you go back to school.”  I nod and kiss him again, feeling a tear slip down my cheek.  If I only have a little over a month left with him, then I am going to make sure I have enough last kisses to last me a lifetime. 

I stand up, grab his hand, and lead him to bed.  After he strips down to his boxers, he crawls in next to me and wraps his body around mine.  With his chin nuzzled into my neck, he tells me how much he loves me.  I do the same, pulling his arms around me as tight as I can, hoping this isn't one of the last times he would hold me in his arms as I drift off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Cole and I were up bright and early.  I picked out a cute black dress to wear to the wedding, deciding that it was the most obvious color choice for this affair.  Not to mention, it is form fitting and makes me look like a size zero.  It may be catty, but I want Megan's jaw to drop when she sees Cole's upgrade.  If she is half as horrible as I imagine her to be, then I want to inflict as much pain as possible without breaking a nail. 

Cole has insisted that his brother is innocent in the whole thing—reminding me time and time again that he is “a good guy” and “everyone is so proud of him.”  I don't buy it.  Finn had to know that Cole and Megan were together when he impregnated her. 
God, I hope she looks fat in her wedding dress. 
Of course, being the lady I am, I'll inevitably take the high road and bite my tongue. 

Besides that, today is about Cole showing them how much he's changed.  He's gotten himself together, stayed out of trouble, is now fifty thousand dollars richer, and has the potential to create an amazing career for himself.  These are the same reasons I am uncharacteristically quiet on the drive to Cole's hometown.

“I am thinking of using some of the money to start up my own housing rehab business,” he says, finally breaking the silence about halfway into our drive.  “I want to make sure everything is legit.  I'm going to need to be licensed and insured.”

“
I think that's a great idea.”  I paint on a smile, not wanting to detour him from his vision.  “I'm so excited for you.”

“
You don't have to play games with me, Whit.”  He reaches over and takes my hand in his.  “You don't have to pretend to love the idea.”

“
I'm not,” I defend.  “I really am happy about the job.”

“
I know that.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it. “I mean overall.  I know that moving to Georgia will suck, but it doesn't have to mean we are through.”

I look at him with trepidation.  “Really?  Because I think you being that far away is going to really, really suck.”

“It's a plane ride.  A long day of driving.  It's not the end of the world,” he reassures me.  “It's just a hurdle.”

“
More like a roadblock.”

“
Come on,” he pleads.  “Please don't act that way.”

“
I'm sorry,” I apologize.  “But look how things turned out for my parents.  I know my mom's cheating, which I would never do by the way, led to the end of their marriage, but it all started because my dad was working in the city all the time.  That was only an hour away.  You're going to be a lot farther than that.”

“
Then I'll stay.”

“
We've been over this,” I remind him.  “I can't ask you to do that.”

“
You didn't,” he tells me.  “I'll stay because you're more important than any job.”

I shake my head and close my eyes.  I don't want to cry and show up at the wedding looking like a hot mess.

“Look.”  He pulls off the interstate, taking the exit for our destination.  “We can talk about this later.”  He can obviously see I am getting upset.  “I want you to know though…” He pauses as he parks the truck in the lot.  “You going with me has always been an option.”

There it is.  The invitation.  I've been waiting for him to ask me.  Wanting him to ask.  But I still can't shake the feeling that accepting the offer would put me right back where I started.  And why did he wait until this exact moment to tell me that this has always been an option?  I’m starting to wonder if he is simply trying to pacify me so I don't look upset when we see his family.  He could have said that last night or before we left this morning.  The last thing I need is for him to patronize me.  I put up with enough of that in my previous relationship.

I follow him out of the truck, plaster on a smile, and take his hand as we stroll into the ninth circle of Hell, cleverly disguised as a church.  I can already foresee the drive home being a lot more conversational.

Chapter 24 – Cole

“I'm so glad you made it.” Finn greets us in the entryway of the small town church.  He shakes my hand and pulls me in for a hug. 

“
Yeah. Wouldn't have missed it,” I lie.  I really don’t know how I am going to feel when I see him and Megan together.  I am definitely over her, but seeing someone you were intimate with marry your brother still makes you feel awkward.  Whitney clears her throat and I look over to see her smiling politely, waiting for me to introduce her.

“
Right,” I grin.  “Finn, this is my girlfriend, Whitney.”  I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her close to me.  She is a little tense, but I figure it is because she is nervous about meeting my family.  Unlike my meeting with her father, this introduction was planned.  She had plenty of time to prepare herself for it.

Whit extends her hand to Finn, and when he takes it in his, I watch her give him a suspicious look.  I know she didn't believe me when I told her that he didn't know Megan and I were together.  Deep down, I figure he had to know, but he is my brother.  Is it so bad that I want to believe he wouldn't have done that to me?  Besides that, he really did me a favor.  If I would have stayed with Megan, I would have never met Whitney.  As far as I am concerned, it is all water under the bridge.  Right now, I want to show off my girl, watch my brother get married, and for once in my life, report my own good news to my family.

“You didn't mention she is a knockout.” Finn nudges my shoulder with his and I nod in agreement.  “What's a girl like you doing with a guy like my brother?” he teases.

“
He's an amazing guy,” Whitney announces defensively.  Finn's eyes go wide in surprise at her response.

“
Easy, girl.” I give her a little squeeze.  “He's just joking around.”  It is sweet how protective she is being.  I told her some not-so-great things about what Finn had said to me when I was leaving town.  I realize now that he was trying to push me to get my life on the right path.  Finn's own brand of tough love—get out of my town and get a real job. 

“
I think you got a keeper,” Finn grins despite the dirty look Whitney is giving him.  Whitney forces a smile as Finn excuses himself to take his place.  A piano kicks up, announcing that it is time for the wedding to begin.

“
What was that about?” I whisper as we walk to the front of the church and take the empty seats next to my grandma.

“
Sorry,” she halfheartedly apologizes.  “I guess I'm a little on edge.”

I guess so.
  All of the decisions we are going to have to make about our relationship are weighing on her.  I probably didn’t help matters by telling her she could go to Georgia with me.  I should have said it sooner, but when she didn't bring it up right away, I assumed it wasn't an option.  I know how much she wants to finish college, and I do not want to be the reason she wouldn’t get to graduate on time.