Without You

I peeked over to Grace and tried to smile. “He’s running?”

She smiled and nodded her head. “Luke said Will runs twice a day—every morning and every night.”

My smile faded a bit. “What if he’s going to see someone and just doesn’t want Luke to know?”

Grace’s smile turned to a frown. “Well, the only damn way to find out is if the two of you would stop being so damn stubborn and call one another. This is insane! You can’t avoid each other over break. You’re going to see each other.”

I looked back out the window. I didn’t want to admit to Grace how excited I was to be going home. I knew the moment I saw Will, I’d probably break down, but I also knew being home in neutral territory would be what we needed to work things out. I just prayed that what I had seen with that girl wasn’t what I thought it was.

“Come on, Alex. Get packed, so we can get out of here tomorrow. I’m ready to get home to my damn horse!”

I giggled as I stood up and walked over to my closet. “I’m glad I’m not the only one excited to see my horse.”

We both laughed and started making plans to go riding the moment we got home.

“What in the hell do you mean you’re not going home?” Luke pushed my truck door shut.

I let out the breath I had been holding. “Just that, Luke. I’m not going home.”

He stood there and stared at me like I was crazy. “What about your parents, Will? You haven’t seen your mom or dad since August. Why are you doing this to them? It’s Christmas, Will.”

I looked down at the ground. I couldn’t find my voice to talk. I missed my parents so damn much.

“Fuck, Will. From what Grace has told me, Alex is a walking ghost. She’s devastated.”

I shook my head. “She stopped calling. She doesn’t even text anymore.”

“Do you? Do you call or text her? Grace said they came here to A&M.”

I snapped my head up and looked at Luke. “What? When?”

He ran his hand through his hair. “Right after Thanksgiving. Grace said Alex wanted to talk to you in person. I guess when they walked up, you were hugging some girl, and y’all kissed. That’s what Grace told me.”

I gave Luke a funny look. “What?”

He shrugged and leaned against my truck. “Dude, it was that day you went out and got hammered. You came back, and I didn’t want to say anything, but you smelled like you had been all over some girl. The perfume was strong.”

I shook my head, trying to think back to that day. I had drunk a lot at the party Joe took me to, but I didn’t think I had been drunk. I tried to remember what had happened.

“Shit. I don’t even remember that whole night. I was at the party, and some girl kept flirting with me, but I know I didn’t hook up with anyone. I remember talking to Joe and walking back here with him. I think Callie might have been with us. Yeah, she was.”

“Did you hug her?”

I pushed my hands through my hair. “Fuck, I don’t know. Why in the hell would I hug Callie?”

Luke pushed off my truck and turned to face me. “Dude, just come home and talk to Alex.”

I swallowed hard. “I can’t see her right now. I know the moment I see her, I’ll just want to take her in my arms, but I can’t erase what my eyes saw and what my ears heard that day.”

Luke closed his eyes. “Let her explain it, Will. Just give her a chance. She’s not even seeing the guy. She hasn’t seen him since she told him she loved you and asked him to leave her alone. Grace said he pretty much stalked Alex for a bit before finally leaving her be.”

I smiled and shook my head. “Gunner wanted her to experience life away from Mason. Maybe this is what we both need. Maybe we need a break from the familiar. If our love is truly meant to be, then…it will be.”

“Can’t be if you won’t let it.”

I didn’t say a word. Luke turned and walked toward his truck. Libby walked up, and Luke said something to her. She looked at me with such sadness on her face as she began walking over to me.

“Where are you going?”

I looked at my beautiful sister and smiled. “Oklahoma.”

“You’re really going to go there and not be home with your family? Mom is going to be devastated. Alex is going to be devastated.”

“I need to do this. I’m sorry, Lib. I need time to think.”

“’Cause you haven’t had enough time in the last month?”