Page 143 of Under Her Skin

“He’s someone I hurt, and he wants nothing more to do with me. So his name is unimportant. See you tomorrow, Shaun.” I move his hand and press my palm to his shoulder, making him get out of the way so I can close my door andleave.

As I pull out of the parking lot tears sting my eyes and I want to slap myself. Thinking I could go on a date with so much of myself still tied up in Blake and how I feel for him was amistake.

I wonder how long it will take me to forget about him and get on with mylife?

Blake

I wonder how long it will take me to forget about her and go on with mylife?

Like a fool, I stare at the words on my cell phone, ‘I’M SORRY’ until I can’t focus anymore. It’s been a month since she left me. Her scent still lingers on the pillow she slepton.

Okay, I know I’m weird and gross for not washing ityet!

Ihaveto get out of this house today and do something positive with myself. The last few days have been hard for some reason. I look at the last thing Rachelle sent to me nearly every damn day. The last few days, I’ve taken it out and looked at it manytimes.

The urge to text back is taking me over. Max and Kip have given me the advice of staying strong and not contacting her. They said she should take sometime.

Only thing is, Kip told me she was going to go on a date with a British guy she works with and that’s eating me up inside. What if she likes him? What if that ends any chance we have to get back together and get married and have kids and adog?

We’d name the dog, Rufus, and he’d go with useverywhere.

I’ve been living way too much in fantasy land herelately.

There aretwo more days until the reunion at Max’s foster parents’ home. I used some of my money to make a donation and the children’s home used it to make upgrades on all the houses and added in playgroundequipment.

The house parents are throwing a reunion party for all the past people who spent time with them. Rachelle has most likely been sent an invitation, but I doubt she’dgo.

That would be a normal thing to do and she’s not into doing normalthings!

Her old fosterparents might ask her how she’s been doing, and she’d find that invasive at the very least. No, Rachelle is a closed book. She’d never go to a reunion like that. Not in a millionyears.

My cell phone rings and I nearly throw it as I was looking at it so hard. It’s Max so I answer it, a little sad it’s not her. “Hey,Max.”

“Hey, Blake. What are you upto?”

Should I tell him the truth? Nah, that’s just toopathetic.

“Just thinkingabout what I can do with this beautiful day. You?” I ask, opting for a more normal thing to say I’mdoing.

“I’m thinking about taking a cruise in my chopper and wanted to know if you wanted me to pick you up and bring you back here to Houston. Lexi took the kids and went to visit her parents for the week. I would’ve went too, but we have that reunion in just a few days and you and I have to make an appearance at that since we donated the money to make all theimprovements.”

“That sounds cool! I’ve been wanting to take a ride in that beast. Any chance you’ll ever teach me how to fly,Max?”

“I taught Kip, I can teach you too, if youwant.”

“Cool! I’ll be ready. There’s an empty lot that’s been all cleared out to make a playground for the neighborhood. I bought it, so it’s safe for you to land there. See you soonthen.”

“Okay, see you soon,Blake.”

I end the call and suddenly feel a lot better about life in general. Placing the phone in my back pocket, I make a promise to myself not to look at that damn text Rachelle left me for the remainder of this week, atleast.

I have to put that chick behind me once and forall!

Rachelle

A loud knock wakes me up. The sun is streaming in my bedroom window. A quick glance at my phone tells me it’s ten in the morning. I wonder who’shere.

Pulling a robe on, I make my way to the door just as the person on the other side knocks again. “Shelly!” Peyton’s voice callsout.