A Reason to Stay by L. S. Murphy

Author:L. S. Murphy [Murphy, L. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 16002171
Publisher: Calliope - Musa Publishing
Published: 2012-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

It took longer than I thought to pack up the condo, but I was back in Hartfield after ten days. I opened the door to the house, my house, and inhaled the fresh pine Stacey loved to clean with. The house was ready to show to potential buyers.

But it already had a new owner.

I hadn’t spoken to my cousin since the day I left. We kept missing each other and survived off voice mail and text messaging. The papers were drawn up for me to sign. In her final text, she decided to make everything official at Willis’ and celebrate my homecoming at the same time. I parked in front of Helen’s house ten minutes before noon and got to work. It took me longer to unload the boxes than it did to pack it. Adam was supposed to come over and help when he got off work. Not that there would be much left to unpack other than the biggest items like my bed and mattress. Most everything else was just boxes.

I pulled the last box from my trunk, holding it up by my knee so I could wipe the sweat from my forehead, when a car pulled up behind the trailer. I peered around the side but couldn’t see who sat in the driver’s seat. A car door slammed and Pace turned the corner in shorts and a tight t-shirt.

“You did it again,” he said with his face tighter than a tornado. He crossed his arms, sweat glistened off his arms. “How could you leave without saying—”

“I came back.” This wasn’t like last time. Can’t he see that?

“And that gives you the right to just disappear?” He dropped his arms and then ran his hand through his hair. “Damn it, Jules, do you have any idea how that feels?”

“I came back,” I repeated. The truth was I didn’t know how to tell him I was leaving even though it was temporary and didn’t have time to track him down. I wanted my life in Savannah over as soon as possible so I could start over here.

“I can’t do this. As much as I’ve wanted you back in my life, I can’t do this again.” He stopped, letting the words sink in. “How can I be sure you won’t leave again? Just take off one day because you’re bored with me? Or because some private eye found a clue about your parents?”

I shook my head, but that didn’t stop him. I stared at the loose gravel at the curb by his feet. Anything to keep from looking at him.

“Or because you just want to get out of Hartfield? I remember how much you hated it here—”

“Stop.” The word was barely a whisper, but he heard me. I lifted my head, the tears fighting to break from my eyes. None of this was worth the battle. I’d hurt him too many times. It didn’t matter how much damage he was doing to me. I deserved it. More than I deserved his forgiveness.

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