Stolen Course(23)

“Jesus, what the fuck, Emmy?”

“Emma,” I correct over my shoulder just to be a bitch.

Caleb doesn’t follow me, but he doesn’t let me get very far before he shouts, “I’m not helping Sarah! You can ask me for whatever you want, but I flat-out refuse to help her.”

I freeze as his words penetrate my mind. Then I quickly swing back around to face him.

“Wait, you still hate her?” A lot of things suddenly make more sense.

“Was that ever in question? Yes, I fucking hate her! She killed my fiancée!”

Oh damn, this is bad. Really fucking bad. I slowly walk back over to his truck when I realize that we are slinging cusswords across the airport’s short-term parking lot.

“I just thought… I mean, Brett said you carried her out that night she broke down. And you were at the hospital, and you kept me updated for the last few weeks. I just assumed you had…gotten over it.”

“Gotten over it?” he asks incredulously before laughing. “Emma, she killed my fiancée!” he repeats, you know, just in case I didn’t hear his declaration before.

I shake my head in frustration. “She didn’t kill her, Caleb.”

“Oh really?” He once again laughs humorlessly.

How the hell did Caleb and I never have this conversation in the four weeks we have been talking? We’ve talked about Manda, we’ve talked about Sarah, and while it was never really in depth, I just figured it was an understandably sensitive subject for him. I’m not stupid. I knew he was never going to love Sarah or anything. But hating someone is a totally different ballgame than just disliking them. I can’t help but feel a little duped.

“Why am I just finding out about this now?” I ask.

“It was never a secret!” he yells before dropping his voice again. “You knew I hated her that day at the hospital. Nothing’s changed. It’s not some magical feeling that comes and goes. Damn it!” He once again starts yelling, and this time I feel the hate seeping from his voice.

“You carried her out! You stayed overnight at the hospital just so she wouldn’t be alone! That’s a hell of a way of showing you hate someone!” I shout back.

“I did all that for Manda, not Sarah!” He sucks in a deep breath, regaining his calm. “I hate your sister, but Manda loved her. And that night, I just did what Manda would have wanted.”

“Shit,” I whisper.

“Yep. ‘Shit’ covers it. And, Emmy, the updates? Those were for you. Again, not Sarah. You can’t expect me to help her. Not after everything that’s happened. You just can’t.”

“Well, this is going to be one hell of a problem then, Caleb.” I step closer now that things have slowed down. “I just moved all the way across the country to devote myself to helping her.”

“I know you did. And I know she needs it.” He lets out a frustrated growl. “Damn it, I knew this was going to be bad. I fucking knew it.” He bangs his hand against the side of his truck.

And he’s right—this is bad. It really sucks to have to let Caleb go, but I know what I have to do. As excited as I was at the prospect of starting something with him, this move was about Sarah.

“I can’t get involved with someone who doesn’t support me. I’ve fucked up enough when it comes to Sarah. I really have to make it right this time.”

“I know,” he says, taking in a resigned breath.

“I mean, look at us. We’re already fighting over her. As much as you hate her, I love her more.”

“I get it. Fuck, Emmy. It sucks, but I get it.” He offers me a sad smile before reaching for my bag again. “Come on. I’ll drop you off at Sarah’s place.”

And just like that, twenty minutes after landing in Chicago, whatever Caleb and I had ends.





THIS. SHIT. Sucks.

I’m not sure if it’s practiced skill or just a God-given ability, but Sarah Erickson always manages to fuck things up. Even when she’s not around, she stills screws with my life. It’s been five long days since I’ve talk to Emma.

It’s funny. I’ve been on my own for a long time, but the last month with Emma has changed me. It might be a stretch, but I might even dare to say that I’ve been happy. It doesn’t even matter that we spent all of that month long distance and on the phone.

I knew it was a dangerous game she and I were playing. One that would eventually blow up on both of us. I just never thought it would be so soon. I figured we’d at least get to hang out for a while, maybe even have some mind-blowing sex before it all crashed and burned. Instead, I got a hug and a fight in the airport parking lot. All courtesy of Sarah.