It Started with a Crush by Piper James
Chapter Thirty-One
Sage
Thanks for the good time.
Chase’s voice was still ringing in my ears days later, chanting those words again and again, making me cringe just as they had when he’d actually uttered them. I’d regretted calling what we had a fling the moment the words passed my lips. I’d been rationalizing, trying to convince both of us that our relationship was bound to end soon, anyway, so there was no point in dragging it out. No point in getting Daniel’s hopes up, just to crush him when Chase and the others moved back to L.A.
I didn’t mean it. And when he’d thrown out that flippant response, my chest felt like it caved in, crushing my heart in the process. Because while I didn’t really believe what we’d had was a careless fling, he obviously did. And that hurt.
I tried to tell myself this was for the best. A clean break before anyone else—namely Daniel—got hurt. If word got out I was dating his dad, it could cause problems for him at school. Kids could be ruthless, saying hurtful things for their own entertainment. I could only imagine what they’d say to Daniel about his teacher dating his dad.
But despite knowing I’d made the right choice, it still fucking hurt. A lot. And I wasn’t really sure why.
Yeah, Chase was a great guy. He was kind, respectful, funny, and I really enjoyed his company. He was also a master in bed, giving me the best orgasms of my life. We just fit, like two puzzle pieces that completed the whole picture.
I’d miss him, but I was happy before he came into my life. Okay, maybe happy was too strong a word, but I was content. I still had my job, which I loved. I had my friends, a nice apartment, and a nice life in the town I grew up in.
Chase came in and mixed me all up. Like a hurricane blowing in off the gulf, he turned everything upside down. He was exciting and dangerous, and now that he was gone, I could start over with a fresh, clean slate. Of course, he wasn’t really gone. Not yet. I just had to resolve myself to dealing with the blowback until he actually left town.
Making sure I didn’t go to Belle’s when Ryder was having his brothers over. Checking parking lots for his truck before I went shopping or out to eat. If I could just avoid him for a few weeks, he’d be gone, and I could finally get back to normal.
Whatever the fuck that was. I didn’t even know anymore.
I waited until the last student trickled out of the classroom before grabbing my phone from the desk drawer. Pulling up my group chat with the girls, I sent out the bat signal. I needed them, and I knew they’d drop whatever they had going and come over for a girls’ night in. Even on a Friday night.
On my way home, I stopped by Bull’s Eye, Red River’s only big box store. Giving the parking lot a once over, I didn’t see the Perry Brothers Construction truck and sighed in relief. I ran inside and bought three bags’ worth of snacks, including potato chips, French onion dip, and a shit-ton of chocolate, as well as two bottles of orange juice.
Then I stopped by the liquor store and bought the biggest bottle of vodka I could find. It was a screwdriver kind of night. I also picked up a bottle margarita mix so Belle could have virgin margaritas and wouldn’t feel so left out as the rest of us drank.
When I got home, I changed into shorts and a tank top, threw my long hair up into a messy bun, and laid out my spread of junk food. I’d just finished blending up Belle’s margaritas when my front door flew open and she and Dakota walked in, chatting about a piece of real estate Dakota was getting ready to list.
“Hey. Thanks for coming,” I said, holding out the non-alcoholic frozen concoction to Belle while handing Dakota a screwdriver.
“Ooh, thanks,” Belle said, taking a drink. “Yum.”
“I’m here,” Ember called from the still-open front door as she hurdled forward and snatched Dakota’s glass from her hand.
“Uh, you’re welcome,” Dakota said sarcastically.
“I need it more than you,” Ember said after chugging down half the cocktail.
“What’s going on, Em?” I asked as I handed Dakota a fresh drink.
“Issues at the shop,” she said, waving off my concern. “Forget about it. It’s no big deal. Tonight is about you.”
She plucked a chip from the bowl, dipping it into the tub of French onion dip before popping it into her mouth. We slid into the four chairs surrounding the table, the snack spread out between us. As we ate and sipped our drinks, I told them about the resolution of my issues with the Turners and my subsequent break up with Chase.
“But…if everything was resolved with the douche canoes, why did you end things with Chase?” Belle asked, looking confused.
“Because,” I said, “it’s for the best.”
“If you really believed that, we wouldn’t be here right now,” Dakota said, arching a brow at me. “I mean, we might still have hung out, but you wouldn’t need us here.”
I shook my head. “Logically, I know I did the right thing. I’m protecting Daniel.”
“From what?” Ember asked, tilting her head to study me.
“Gossip. Mean kids, and mean parents who’d accuse me of giving him preferential treatment. He doesn’t deserve any of that.”
“Okay, first of all, Daniel is a good kid. He’s friendly and kind, super smart, and charms anyone who meets him. No one would ever accuse you of giving him shortcuts because he doesn’t need them,” Dakota said.
“And secondly, you shouldn’t give a fuck what anyone says about you,” Ember added.
She gave zero shits about what anyone thought of her. She did her own thing, and if you didn’t like it, you could go fuck yourself. But Ember had the freedom to think that way. She owned her own business, was single, and didn’t have any kids. She had no one else to consider when she made her decisions. She could do whatever the hell she wanted, and no one she cared about would get hurt.
I didn’t have that luxury.
“Sage, you knew all this when you started this thing with Chase. That’s why you decided to keep it a secret. It’s still a secret, since the Turners aren’t going to say a word about it. So nothing has to change. Why wouldn’t you just continue on?” Belle asked.
“Because I can’t do it anymore,” I said, feeling suddenly defensive. “I can’t keep pretending a relationship with him is going anywhere when he’s leaving. He’ll be gone soon, and I’ll be devastated.”
The three of them leaned back into their chairs as they looked at me with identical wide stares. My own eyes flew wide as my words hung in the air.
“Finally, you’re being honest,” Ember said, smiling at me over the rim of her glass.
“I was being honest the whole time,” I said, backpedaling quickly.
“Were you?” Dakota asked. “With yourself, I mean.”
“I am worried about Daniel. And my reputation as an educator.”
“Bullshit,” Ember shouted on a fake sneeze.
“I am,” I reiterated, kicking her shin under the table.
“Ow,” she yelped, bending over to rub the spot. “Real mature, educator.”
“About as mature as that fake sneeze,” I shot back.
“Sage,” Belle said firmly, and I forgot about my tiff with Ember to meet her serious gaze.
“What?”
“He’s not leaving.”
The breath whooshed out of me, and the room started to spin as I forgot to inhale. Belle held my stare, her blue eyes filled with something that looked an awful lot like pity. As black spots filled my vision, I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
“What do you mean, he’s not leaving?” I asked, my voice deadly calm.
“He came over to the house earlier in the week and had a long talk with Ryder. When he got home, he talked to the others, and they decided to stay in Red River. They all consider this home, now. They’re going to stay.”
“When was this?” I asked, suddenly feeling lightheaded again.
“Tuesday night,” she replied. “Why?”
“Tuesday,” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Sage, breathe,” Ember said, leaning forward to slap a palm against my back.
I sucked in a breath, and suddenly I was breathing too much. In and out. In and out. Faster and faster until I felt like I wasn’t getting enough oxygen. Belle leapt up and grabbed the empty paper bag I’d left on the counter after opening the vodka and rushed back to hold it over my mouth and nose.
“Jesus, Sage. What is happening right now?” Ember asked once my breathing calmed.
“Sorry,” I huffed, then looked up at first Belle, then Dakota. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Belle said. “Just tell us what has you spiraling into a panic attack.”
“I told him what we had was a fling,” I said, feeling my eyes burn with tears. “I told him it was fun while it lasted. That it would end, anyway, because he was leaving. That was on Wednesday.”
“Oh, shit,” Ember said, falling back against her chair.
“He didn’t try to contradict me. He didn’t tell me he wasn’t leaving,” I said, my tears flowing over as my voice cracked. “He said ‘Thanks for the good time’ and left.”
Thanks for the good time.
“He was probably just reacting to what you said, Sage,” said Belle.
Thanks for the good time.
“It was still a dick thing to say,” Ember grumbled.
Thanks for the good time.
“He was hurt and simply reacted,” Dakota offered.
I looked up at each of them, my head shaking rapidly. “It doesn’t matter why he said it. He’s had plenty of time to take it back. To tell me he’s not leaving. He doesn’t want me.”
“Sage—” Belle started, but I cut her off with a slash of my hand.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s over.” I forced a fake smile and took a drink of my screwdriver before adding, “It’s fine. I’m fine. Really.”
But I wasn’t fine. And I knew it would be a long, long time before I would ever be fine again.
