Page 102 of After You Returned

“This is exactly what I’m talking about. I’ve told you I love you over and over again, but you won’t say the words to me. Even though I know you feel them.”

How dare he decide how I feel! I cross my arms over my chest. “You know I feel them?”

He ignores the anger emanating from me. “I know you love me. I know you’re worried. I’ve done everything I can to prove to you I’m here to stay. But you won’t believe me.”

I want to tell him I believe him, but I’m not there yet. I’m ninety-nine percent sure. But the last one percent is holding on for dear life.

“I promise to support whatever decision you make about your job but you won’t even discuss the options with me.”

Because I need to figure this out for myself. I don’t want my decision to be based on a man. It’s bad enough I went to a local college to stay near Miles. Especially when he left my junior year for Hawaii. But not before dumping his boring high school girlfriend.

“This is my decision. It has nothing to do with you.”

He growls. “Wrong. Whatever decision you make has everything to do with me. I love you.” He pounds his chest. “I want to be wherever you are. Hell, if you want to be the physical therapist for the Antarctica mission, I’ll go with you.”

“You’d freeze your ass off and complain about it all the time.”

He cups my cheek. “But I’d be with you. Being with you is all that matters.”

I want to reach for him but I still don’t trust him. “Is it? I’m all that matters?”

“Yes, Blaze, you are all that matters.”

“And if you suddenly get an offer to coach the US surfing team in California? What then?”

He drops his hand. “Not even a remote possibility.”

“Bullshit. You’d flee the island so fast there’d be skid marks on the bridge.”

“This is what you think?” Pain flashes in his eyes. Pain I caused.

I ignore his pain and plow on. “You’ve done it before. You were in such a hurry to get to Hawaii to compete in the pro circuit, you couldn’t dump me fast enough.”

“Because I was an idiot!”

“How do I know you won’t be an idiot again?”

“I’m sorry. I never should have dumped you. I was young and dumb. And I didn’t want you to put your life on hold for me.”

I pound my chest with my fist. “It was my choice to go to college nearby. My choice to wait for you. But you stole that choice from me.”

“And now it’s my choice to stick around. To stay on the island.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

He shakes his head. “I thought you were smarter than this.”

He grabs his keys and marches toward the door.

“You’re leaving? This is why I can’t trust you. You run away whenever things get tough.”

He halts with his hands on his hips and his head bent forward. “I don’t want to leave, but I’m terrified I’ll say something stupid. Something you’ll use against me in every argument we have in the future.”

I want to tell him he’s wrong but I’d be a liar. I’m the queen of holding grudges.

“My phone is on for you night and day if you need me.”

“Where are you going? This is your house.”