Page 20 of Protected Promise

“No?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m feeling things for you that I probably shouldn’t so quickly,” I confessed.

She gave me a curious look and smiled. “That’s very gentlemanly of you.”

“Nope, definitely not, but by keeping some distance I am trying.”

“You’re kind of weird, Landon. Most guys would be fully taking advantage of this moment.”

There was something dark in her eyes and the way she said it sounded like she had a sour taste in her mouth that she didn’t like.

“I’m not most guys, Kaitlyn.”

“I can see that,” she said softly.

My phone chimed with an incoming call. Out of habit, I reached for it and saw a text from Tobi and Jackson. They were at the hotel.

I sighed.

“Is everything okay?”

“My friends came by my hotel to check on me.”

“That was sweet of them.”

I cringed. “I haven’t actually made it over there to check in yet.”

“But they think you did?”

I nodded.

“Why haven’t you?”

“Because I needed to find you first.”

“Oh.”

“Would you like to come with me?”

She shook her head, and it felt a bit like she had just run me through with a double edged sword.

“The graduation ceremony is tomorrow, and I have to be up early.”

“Okay,” I managed to say. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“If you’re going to the ceremony, then I guess you will. It’s not that big of a graduating class.”

“I look forward to it then. Good night, Kaitlyn.”

I turned to leave, already chastising myself for sounding so stupid. I was doing the right thing though, at least I thought I was.

“Wait.”

I turned back quickly, excited that maybe she didn’t want me to go any more than I wanted to leave her.