It should’ve been one of those times where I had a smile on my face, but I felt the darkness of my prior life steadily creeping forward.
I slid into my coat and stuffed the rest of my stuff in my suitcase. As I was throwing it in the back of the car, Colin was already seated in the driver’s seat, waiting for me to finish. Part of me wanted to offer to drive so he could have a break, but part of me knew he’d want to be in control anyway.
Rigid, stern, and in control.
He backed out of the parking space and headed for the front desk. He slid out of the running car while my seat warmed underneath my body, and I simply watched as he turned in the keycard. He swiped his card for the night we’d spent together, and I suddenly felt an onset of guilt. Had this been turned around in the other direction, I wouldn’t have been able to take care of him like this. He’d have to buy me breakfast if I was going to eat, and he’d have to pay for the tire we had to fix if he didn’t want to drive on the spare all the way to Minnesota.
I was a leech, and the thought made me sick.
I’d prided myself on always being independent. I knew where my money was going, and I knew why it was going there. I built up a savings account I’d eventually turn into a retirement fund, and I was well on my way to purchasing my own home. I had my entire life planned out with my ex. A life that included marriage and children and successful careers. Holding hands in the doctor’s office and cooking massive Thanksgiving meals we could all eat around a massive table.
All of it had been ripped from me the moment the truth came to light.
Now, I had nothing. I had no apartment, I had no friends. I had no home and I had no money. I had no job and the career I had worked toward had effectively gone down in a massive pile of flames, brought on by the Human Resources department.
My stomach rumbled with hunger, but the only thing I had the energy to do was lean my forehead against the cold glass of the rental car. The rental car I couldn’t even help him pay for.
“We’ll need to get a new tire on the car before we get on the road,” he said as he got back in. “We should have the car checked out anyway. Things got rough there yesterday.”
“Okay,” I said.
“We can’t push this donut tire anymore,” he said. “I’m honestly surprised it drove as well as it did.”
“Me too,” I said.
“Abby?”
I turned and looked at Colin. I studied his strong jawline and his perfect head of thick hair. I took in his bright blue eyes that somehow matched the snow-draped landscape we’d found ourselves trapped in. I traced the nape of his neck with my eyes and studied the breadth of his shoulders. How strong they were as he rolled me around in bed and pulled me close to his chest last night to sleep.
It never felt this way with my ex. It wasn’t as empty with Colin.
“It sounds like a good idea,” I said. “We should also get some food.”
“I’ll get us something while we’re waiting,” he said.
The car started forward, and we traveled on into the small town. We traveled a couple of miles up the road before we saw a sign for a tire shop, and I was surprised it was even open. There was a couple of feet of snow on the surrounding ground and at least four-foot high snow drifts on the side of the road from where the snow plow had come barreling through. I felt the car pull into the shop before Colin hopped out, talking to a man as I sat there and watched.
Colin came over and opened my door before I unhooked my seatbelt. A strange man got into the car beside me, ready to take the car back to get looked over. Colin offered me his hand, but I didn’t take it, opting to slide out on my own and make my way for the inside of the shop. I knew I was being distant. I knew I was being closed off. I knew I was reflecting the very mood Colin had tossed me earlier, but for some reason, it just felt like I couldn’t breathe. I bared my body for this man I couldn’t get enough of, and then I opened my idiotic mouth and pushed him away with a stupid joke.
It was always my personality that got me into trouble. Always.
I sat down, but I didn’t see Colin come in after me. I hunkered down into the chair and closed my eyes, willing the hunger in my stomach to dissipate. I had a negative account balance that couldn’t be toggled with until I could pay the bank back, and I still had four more hours to go before I could get to my parents.
Before I could get to a fresh start.
I heard the shop door open, and I lifted my heavy head. I saw Colin walk in with what looked like bags in his hands, and I could smell the food coming from a mile away. He sat down beside
