Last days were bitter-sweet. A much looked-for respite from the day-to-day task of lesson plans and paper-grading, was balanced out with the jam-packed energy bursting from each student in the halls. It was the end of May. And it was definitely time to be done with school.
“I’m glad to hear that. You’re a great writer, Caleb.”
“Have a good summer, Miss B. See you next year!” He slung his backpack over his shoulder and strolled out.
“See you,” she said calmly, while inwardly she was a simmering pot of nerves. As difficult as it was, she wouldn’t be seeing him, or any of the other students, next year. Not if she could help it.
She was done referring to herself by her nickname. After the conversation with her mom, several weeks ago, she resolved to be Gabrielle from then on. Adrian had called her Gabby, and she’d liked it.
She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since she’d left Two Pines. For six weeks he’d dominated her inner dialogue, and that had to mean something. It had led her job hunt in his direction, and when she’d gotten the invitation for an interview, she took that as a good sign too.
It’d also partly been Sadie’s suggestion to apply for a teaching position in Chicago. She’d been irritated every time Gabby ignored one of Adrian’s phone calls.
The argument—and Sadie’s insistence—echoed with renewed clarity in her mind.
“Will you answer him already?” Sadie had said. “Put the poor man out of his misery, or better yet, make up with him.”
“It’s just guilt,” Gabby had argued. “He’s only calling because he feels bad for not telling me about my aunt.” They’d been involved briefly, but it was just a game, something to trick his mom so he didn’t get hooked up with someone else.
Sadie had pursed her lips. “If that was the case, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t keep calling you every single day.”
“I don’t know if I can trust him, Sadie,” Gabby had told her in response. “After what my parents did. After this whole thing with my aunt. How can you trust anyone?”
Sadie had propped her elbows on the counter. “Did he actually lie to you?”
Gabby had flicked through her memories. Lie directly to her? “Not exactly.”
“Who did he lie to, then?” Sadie had asked.
“Well, to his mom, and everyone else every time he claimed I was his girlfriend. Except…”
Her mind had wandered. Adrian hadn’t really lied about that. After calling her honey in front of his mom, he’d been completely upfront about it, explaining his reasoning. It’d been in part to protect her from his mother’s scrutiny after being found in their family’s cabin.
The moment had flashed in her mind. He’d been completely straight forward. He’d asked her to be his girlfriend, and after some deliberation, she’d willingly agreed.
All this time she’d been simmering over his dishonesty, but had he really been dishonest? Something inside of her had started to puddle then. For all intents and purposes, she had been his girlfriend. He’d found excuses to hold her hand, to hide away in the barn, to give her the most mind-blowing kiss she’d ever had. They’d gone on dates and shared parts of themselves they’d never shared with anyone else. If that wasn’t boyfriend-girlfriend material, she wasn’t sure what was.
With dawning realization and a nugget of guilt in the pit of her stomach, Gabby had met Sadie’s expectant gaze. “It wasn’t just some fake claim. I think he really did see me as his girlfriend.” Which meant…
He cared about her. The sly, pensive gazes, the playful banter and requests for hugs, the hand-holding and confidential conversations. They’d all been real.
“See?” Sadie had said, reaching for an apple in the basket on their counter. She’d taken a large bite and smiled. “He’s not as bad as you were thinking.”
Her heart had banged against her ribs in an unprecedented way. All this time, she’d been so confused, so sure it’d been an act. Could it be true? Could Adrian really have been interested in her?
He’s not as bad as you were thinking.
Not bad, Gabby had mentally agreed. Not bad in the slightest. A strange tingling had started in her toes, prickling its way up her legs and to her spine.
“You’re right,” Gabby had said. “Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to at least talk to him. Get things sorted out.”
“If you don’t do it now, you’ll always wonder. Look at how long your aunt-mom waited. Look at all that lost time.”
Sadie had been completely right. Lost time was the perfect way to put it. Gabby had considered calling Adrian back, but for some reason, this wasn’t something she wanted to do over the phone. It just so happened the job interview coincided perfectly with her new-laid plans.
Plans which included heading to Chicago and baring her soul to the man she was pretty sure she was falling in love with. She hadn’t been looking for a relationship or having a man in her life long-term, but now that she’d experienced all of that, now that she thought she could trust Adrian—really trust him—she was desperate to give it a try.
She glanced at the clock above the door. Three more hours until her flight. She’d been communicating with a high school principal in a Chicago suburb. A principal who knew her by her real name. He was optimistic that she was perfect for the position and needed only to meet with her before finalizing the offer.
With bees in her stomach, Gabby had agreed and booked her flight the next day. Even though it was only about a five-hour drive, she wasn’t ready to tackle another road trip any time soon. If she’d gotten lost in Montana, she could only wonder what would happen in a
