[The Forever 01.0] Forever Innocent by Deanna Roy

Author:Deanna Roy [Roy, Deanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Series, emotional, college romance, USA Today bestseller, Bad Boy, New Adult Contemporary Romance, grief
ISBN: 9781938150180
Amazon: B00FGHY0YO
Barnesnoble: B00FGHY0YO
Goodreads: 18168448
Publisher: Casey Shay Press
Published: 2013-09-25T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24: Corabelle

Oh God oh God oh God. What had I done?

I pulled into an employee space a block away from Cool Beans, wondering if Gavin was still standing in front of my door. We could not do this. I could not tell him everything. Not now. It seemed like a way better idea to remember this one amazing night and just stop. No more.

I dashed down the sidewalk, worrying that Jason would be late as usual, but then remembered that Jenny was working that morning. She was pretty reliable.

The bells jingled as I ripped open the door. Jenny was waiting on an older couple getting plain coffee, judging by the mugs. I flashed her an apologetic look and raced behind the counter, stuffing my purse beneath the register and yanking out an apron.

Then I saw him.

Austin.

He pulled his headphones off and set them on the table, his usual one in the corner.

“He’s been here since we opened,” Jenny whispered. “Must have been some impression you made on him last night.” She elbowed me. “You’re one crazy chica.”

The couple walked away from the counter, and I could see Austin heading toward me. “I can’t talk to him!” I said, planning to scurry to the back.

Jenny grabbed my apron string. “Nuh-uh. He’s been waiting for hours.”

Austin leaned against the pastry case, a few feet away from Jenny. “Corabelle?” His eyes were full of misery.

God. What to say. I gave him a half-wave. “Hey.”

“Are you okay? I’ve been so worried.” His hands gripped the glass, the fingertips white from the pressure.

“I’m fine.” I opened the back of the case and pretended to rearrange the danishes. “I just — that just wasn’t my scene. I didn’t mean to be dramatic.”

Austin let go of the glass. “Okay. I didn’t have your number or anything. I sent you e-mails.”

I hadn’t looked at any of that since yesterday. “I have a dumb phone, not a smart one. I didn’t see them yet.”

“Were you okay last night?”

I flashed through the evening. Gavin on my sofa, leaning over the hula girl, pulling me close, his face hovering over my body. “Yes! Yes. I was fine.”

Austin stuck his hands in his pockets and looked away. “I guess this means you don’t want to see me again?”

Jenny glanced at us, then moved as far away as she could, next to the window and the rows of plastic water cups.

I knew I couldn’t see Austin anymore, even if I didn’t intend to stick with Gavin. I had already succumbed. Austin hadn’t kept me away, although I’m not sure anyone could have. I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

He looked so dejected, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to swallow.

“It’s not you,” I said hurriedly. “I just can’t be around — that.” I glanced at Jenny, who was certainly listening even though she was facing away. “That — that thing that was happening. It’s a thing from my past. A problem.”

Austin’s eyes grew large. “Are you in recovery?”

“No! No. I mean, yes.

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