Because I Love You (24 page)

“And you tell him to man up and get over it. Problem solved.” Jill headed to the register without waiting for a response.

Rolling my eyes, I followed. We paid for his gift then swung by Jill’s house to wrap. As far as Mom knew, I was spending the night with her again and visiting Neil tomorrow for his birthday—the only day his uncle let him request off without penalty. But I had other plans. I smiled, dreaming about waking up with him in his bed and forcing him to play something for me on his guitar.

Present and overnight bag in hand, at 10:30 p.m., I hopped into Jill’s Honda, and she drove me to Neil’s house. I didn’t bother texting. He’d be off work by now, and I wanted to surprise him. I clutched Neil’s present to my chest, unable to keep myself from bouncing in my seat.

Neil’s truck was in the driveway when we pulled up, and all the lights were on in the house. After saying goodbye to Jill and promising to call if something went wrong, I climbed out of her car. I tossed my bag and Neil’s gift into the bed of his truck with what looked like a couple duffel bags and his guitar case. Was he moving out already?

The front door was cracked open when I approached. Before I could knock, glass shattered from inside the house.

“You little shit!” a woman screamed, her words slurred. “You poured it out!”

“I was at work. When would I have had time to touch your bottle?” Neil said.

“Then where’d it go, huh?
Why do you keep ruining my life?
”

A chill ran deep into my bones.

“You drank it, Ma. That’s where it went,” Neil said, his voice hard and angry. “Down your throat like the rest of the liquor from the Mart. You know, the next time you show up like that, I’m not going to be able to stop Uncle Brad from calling the cops. You’re lucky I got there before you did any damage.”

Silence. Then crying.

“It’s your fault I’m like this. You killed him,” Neil’s mom said.

I leaned against the siding to keep from falling over.

“I know.” Neil’s voice was surprisingly calm for how fast my heart pounded.

“Now, come on,” he said. “Let’s go to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

More glass broke, and Neil swore. I grabbed my cell phone, ready to call 9-1-1. Then I heard his voice.

“You know what? Fuck you. You can climb your own way up the stairs. Don’t break your neck when you come crashing down.”

Footsteps neared the door, and I stepped back.

“Don’t you leave this house, you hear me?” his mom screamed. “Don’t you dare walk away from me! Neil! I hate you, you ungrateful bastard! It should’ve been you that died!”

Oh my God.

Neil flung the front door open, and I covered my mouth with a gasp. Blood trickled from the right side of his hairline down his face. Seeing me, he jumped.

“Damn it.” Neil stormed past me without a second glance and marched to his truck. He flung open the passenger’s door and glove box, then slammed both before pressing a cloth to his head.

I hurried toward him, desperate to make sure he was okay.

When I reached for the cloth, he stepped back, snarling. “What have I told you about coming here?”

“I wanted to surprise you.” Although I kept my voice quiet, it shook. He didn’t seem to notice.

“Yeah, well, you did. I’m fucking shocked that you’d have the goddamn balls to show up here when you know I don’t want you to. Especially now, considering tomorrow’s the day my dad died.
And
you stuck around to listen to that freak show.” His nostrils flared.

I turned away, unable to look at him, my stomach churning.

He continued yelling, “You were never supposed to be around for this shit. Ever. Don’t you think I have enough on my mind without having to worry about you getting in the way?”

I stepped away from him and wrapped my arms around my waist. His rage shook me to my core. Ten minutes ago, all I’d wanted to do was curl up next to him. Now, I wanted to get away. Far, far away. We’d had our arguments, yes, but he’d never yelled at me like this.

My chin trembling, I marched toward his truck to grab my bag and leave.

Neil swore and chased after me. “Andie, I’m sorry.”

Reaching his truck before he could touch me, I grabbed my bag and slammed the gift into his free arm.

“Happy birthday,” I said, spinning on my heel to find the road and call Jill to pick me up.

“No, wait.”

I kept walking without looking back. Neil grabbed my arm, and I smacked his hand away, hard. The sound echoed through the trees.

“
Don’t touch me
.”

Neil’s eyes glassed over, and the pain that rolled through me almost made my knees buckle. Turning my back to him, I continued walking down the driveway.

“Andie, please.” A strangled noise came out of him, stopping me in my tracks.

I balled my fists, fighting the urge to turn around. My heart still felt lashed by a whip. How could he talk to me like this when just two weeks ago he’d said he loved me?

My feet betrayed me, and I pivoted slowly.

Neil sat crouched, his back to me. The hand not holding the cloth to his head gripped the back of his neck, pulling his chin to his chest. My resolve to run away snapped. I couldn’t leave him. Not the day before his birthday—the tenth anniversary of his father’s death—and definitely not after his mother spoke to him the way she had.

I took a deep breath. He’d lashed at me out of fear, not hatred. Neil loved me. I knew he did. He’d not only said it, but, for months, he’d shown it.

I hurried back down the driveway and dropped my bag at his feet. My reappearance startled him. Neil jumped up and spun around. I took his face in my hands, kissing him before he could say anything. His hand dropped from his forehead, and his strong arms clutched me to him.

He dropped his face into the crook of my neck. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just . . . God, if she ever hurt you—”

I stuck my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. “I know.”

We stood in silence like that until Neil lifted his head. He kissed my forehead before resting his cheek on my scalp. I breathed in the smell of him and listened to his heartbeat. It still pumped fast.

“Do you want to go somewhere?” I asked.

“Like?”

“Anywhere.”

He nodded against my head then kissed my hair before pulling away, pressing the cloth to his forehead again and picking up my bag. I entwined my arm with his, and he led me to his truck.

We drove through the mountains until we reached a little cabin, not far from Butterfly Point.

“Where are we?” I asked.

Neil shut down the engine and hopped out. I followed suit and helped him grab bags from the back.

“Owen’s family owns it,” he replied. “They said I could stay here until I found a place.”

I followed him to the front door. He fished a key out of his back pocket and let us inside. The room smelled like a fireplace. I flipped a light switch.

The cabin was small, but, for one person, it was definitely accommodating. The room we stood in made up the majority of the house and reminded me of my own home where the living and dining areas merged. Straight ahead, glass sliding doors looked out onto a lake. Next to them was another door that led to a bathroom. A fireplace was built into the wall on the far right, and to our left was a small kitchenette with a round dining table that sat four. I guessed the bedroom was through the door next to the fridge.

Neil dropped his bags behind a couch positioned in the center of the room, facing a large, flat-screen TV. I tossed my bags in the pile and waited for him to return from snatching the few remaining things from his truck, including my gift. He set that on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Want something to drink?” he asked.

“Does this place even have food or drinks?”

Neil opened the fridge, one hand still pressed to his head. “I was here earlier with Owen, so, yeah, I stocked it. The plan was to surprise you tomorrow and bring you here once I’d gotten everything situated. But, hey, now’s as good a time as any.”

Handing me a can of Sprite, he plopped on the sofa and held his own to his head after tossing the bloodied rag into the trash. Frowning, I set my soda on the coffee table and sat next to him. I touched the hand that held the can.

“Let me see,” I said.

“I’m fine.”

“Neil, move your hand.”

He sighed and did as I asked. His hairline had already begun to bruise, and, though the bleeding had slowed, it still definitely needed attention. It was my turn to do for him what he’d done for me months ago.

“Do you have a first-aid kit here?” I asked.

“Bathroom. Medicine cabinet.”

Suppose I could’ve guessed that.
Opening the cupboard, I grabbed rubbing alcohol, butterfly bandages, and antibiotic ointment, then found cotton balls under the sink. I returned to the couch. After drenching a cotton ball in the alcohol, I pressed it to Neil’s head. He winced. I cleaned the wound and dressed it, trying to keep my touch soft.

As soon as I finished, Neil took my hand. His irises were vivid when he looked into my eyes. My heart jumped. He slipped his hand behind my neck and pulled my lips to meet his, kissing me like he had that first night in the garage. Tender at first, then his kisses intensified until I was in his lap and his hands were under my shirt, stroking the skin beneath my bra strap.

I was about to rip off his top when he grabbed my hands.
Seriously?

“Wait,” he said, his lips not far from mine, “there’s something I want to do first. You’re going to have to let me up.”

Rolling my eyes and groaning, I fell into him.

“Wrong way, Princess.”

It’d been a long time since he called me that. Smiling, I pinched his side—not too hard—and he chuckled. After I fell onto the seat next to him, Neil got up, visited the bedroom, and came back.

“Okay, resume position,” he said.

“Oh,
now
you want me in your lap.”

“I always want you in my lap.” Neil smirked, and I punched him in the arm. But I wanted to continue where we’d left off, too, so I straddled Neil’s legs, facing him.

“So, what, you ran into the bedroom for a Viagra?” I joked.

Neil’s head tipped back with laughter. “Well, now look who’s the cheeky one. I don’t need Viagra, babe. My stamina’s all natural.”

“Then show me.” I kissed him hard, and he let out a soft noise.

“Andie—” He tried to stop me again, but I fumbled with the belt around his waist, and, in seconds, whatever he’d gone into the bedroom to get was forgotten.

Neil pulled his shirt off as I finally managed to undo his belt, then my own shirt was tugged over my head. Again, the twinge of insecurity burned through my chest, but he kissed me, hard, and I dug my fingers into his back. He’d been patient with me for so long, and after a night like tonight, I wanted to make sure he knew how much I craved him, how much I needed him. I trusted his feelings for me.

Neil tugged on my hair. I moaned when his lips found the pulse point in my neck. Every nerve in my body tingled from head to toe, and my heartbeat pounded in my ears. His fingers trailed down my back to the clasp of my bra. With one hand, he twisted the strap, and it fell away. Neil’s gaze flicked to my breasts then met my stare, hesitation in his eyes. I grabbed his face and kissed him, assuring him I wanted to keep going. There was no stopping now. I could already imagine the way he’d feel, the way he’d look when he was naked in front of me. My hips dug into his. Neil groaned then lifted me just enough so he could tug his pants to his knees.

But they only made it past his butt when the door to the cabin flew open. In one swift motion, Neil spun me around, leapt off the couch, and yanked his jeans to his waist. I slapped my arms over my naked chest, thankful Neil blocked me from view.

A familiar voice let out a half-cough, half-laugh and said, “Well, I’d say I came at a bad time.”

“Owen, get out,” Neil replied. “Now.”

Oh, God.
My cheeks burned.

Owen chuckled. “Dude, relax. I didn’t see anything. But, really, man, does Andie know you’re with some other chick right now?”

Neil sighed. “This
is
Andie.”

My head drooped.
Kill me now.

“Oh. Well, in that case, I’m guessing you don’t need my help setting up for—”

“No. Out. Now,” Neil said.

“Right. Um . . . later, Andie.”

I didn’t reply—I didn’t think I could, even if I wanted to—and waited for the door to close before lifting my chin off my chest. Neil’s face was in his hands. I wrapped my arms around him from behind.

“I’m so sorry,” Neil said. “I thought I locked the door.”

I don’t know what came over me—I burst out laughing. Like the kind of laughing that makes your friends disown you at the movie theater. Neil looked at me over his shoulder. His cheeks were almost purple. I’d never seen him so embarrassed.

“You think that was funny?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. I don’t know why. But that was hilarious,” I replied between cackles.

He smirked. “You are not right in the head.”

My giggling waned. “I know. I’m sorry. Baby brain.”

“You can’t blame everything on the baby, you know. That includes stealing food and calling a pee break when you know you’re going to lose at a video game. And, my God”—his gaze fell to my naked chest—“you’ve either got to put your clothes back on, or we need to continue where we left off.”

I grinned and snatched my bra from the other side of the couch. After all that, the mood was definitely ruined. He mumbled something that sounded like “freaking Owen” and grabbed his own clothes.

“So, I need to ask”—I said as he slipped his shirt over his head—“why
did
Owen stop by? He mentioned helping you set up for something?”

Neil cleared his throat, avoiding eye contact with me, and took the medical supplies from the coffee table. “Yeah, well, you weren’t supposed to come till tomorrow. So, there’s some, you know, stuff missing.” He hurried to the bathroom as I narrowed my eyes. For a master of manipulation, he was a terrible liar.