An American Love Story Read Online Free PDF
Author: C. S. Moore
about her business rearranging the flowers.
I decided corn wasn't that important after all and hurried to check out, so I could leave this place and the reminder of my past.
****
By the time I got into the parking lot, I was in tears. Seeing her was so much harder than I could have imagined. When a long relationship ended, you didn't just lose the person in the relationship with you⦠you lost people that had grown to be like family as well.
My shaking hands dropped the car keys as I struggled to unlock my door. Bending down to pick up the keys, I leaned my forehead against the car door. Was I lying to myself when thought I was getting better? Anything had to be better than the last nine months; was being with him that bad? Maybe I should just ignore the hopeless romantic in me that wanted a white knight to look at me like I was more vital to him than air. Almost everyone else in the world settled, should I?
I stood up and tried to steady my breath. When I sat down in the driver's seat I put my head in my hands. No, my parents didn't settle. All of the heartbreak was worth it because I wanted more; I wanted so much more than an amicable relationship. I wanted to light up when I saw the object of my affection, and I wanted him to do the same. I wanted passion like the world had never known. Being alone was better than settling like an old house.
Just as I put the key in the ignition my phone buzzed. I frowned; the number flashing across the screen wasn't one I recognized. After a few rings, I picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hi, Tessa," a male voice said.
The voice was as alien as the number. "Um, hiâ¦"
"Oh, this is Eric. I'm gym buddies with your Dad."
The first thought that flashed across my mind was my Dad in a cupid costume. I growled. I'd asked him not to do this⦠then I remembered who Eric was. He was married with kids. I sighed. It wasn't a set up. "What's up, Eric?" I was a little more at ease, but still completely confused as to why he was calling me.
"I just saw your Dad at the gym, and he told me you were in town," he said.
"It's true, just for the weekendâ¦" I didn't know what else I was supposed to say.
"Well, my little brother, Garrett, is in town too. Do you want to go out with him today?" he asked.
I wanted to smack my head against the steering wheel. It was a set up. "I'm sorry, Eric. I can't today. I already have plans," I said politely.
"We're all going to the speedway for the races. They have the best fireworks show in a two hundred mile radius, you know."
"Really? Have you been to them all, and this one's the best?" I asked sarcastically.
"No, I'm just trying to convince you to come. So are you in?" he asked.
"Sorry, I can't. Like I said, I have plans." I said, sprinkling finality into my tone.
"You know it's the Fourth of July, right?"
He was either not picking up on my resistance or ignoring it. Either way it was annoying. "Yes, I know it's the Fourth of July," I snapped. "Listen, I'm only in town for a few days and I don't want toâ"
"Well my little brother's in the Army," he interrupted without skipping a beat. "He just got back from Iraq, and he'll have to go back to Fort Lewis soon. I want to make sure that he has a good time while he's here. He hasn't been on a date with a beautiful woman in a year."
I had to end this speech before he made me feel any guiltier for turning him down. "I'm sure your brother will have a great date⦠just find another girl for him to go on it with, okay?" Why wouldn't this guy just drop it?
"If you won't go out with a soldier, one that just got back from war," he added. "On the Fourth of July⦠people might call you unpatriotic."
I choked on my rebuttal. What could I say to that? "What time is he picking me up?" I asked in defeat.
"Garrett will be there at three," he promised with a smile in his voice.
"Fine, I'll talk to you later," I said, hanging up before he had said goodbye.
Chapter Five
When I got home, my father was
I decided corn wasn't that important after all and hurried to check out, so I could leave this place and the reminder of my past.
****
By the time I got into the parking lot, I was in tears. Seeing her was so much harder than I could have imagined. When a long relationship ended, you didn't just lose the person in the relationship with you⦠you lost people that had grown to be like family as well.
My shaking hands dropped the car keys as I struggled to unlock my door. Bending down to pick up the keys, I leaned my forehead against the car door. Was I lying to myself when thought I was getting better? Anything had to be better than the last nine months; was being with him that bad? Maybe I should just ignore the hopeless romantic in me that wanted a white knight to look at me like I was more vital to him than air. Almost everyone else in the world settled, should I?
I stood up and tried to steady my breath. When I sat down in the driver's seat I put my head in my hands. No, my parents didn't settle. All of the heartbreak was worth it because I wanted more; I wanted so much more than an amicable relationship. I wanted to light up when I saw the object of my affection, and I wanted him to do the same. I wanted passion like the world had never known. Being alone was better than settling like an old house.
Just as I put the key in the ignition my phone buzzed. I frowned; the number flashing across the screen wasn't one I recognized. After a few rings, I picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hi, Tessa," a male voice said.
The voice was as alien as the number. "Um, hiâ¦"
"Oh, this is Eric. I'm gym buddies with your Dad."
The first thought that flashed across my mind was my Dad in a cupid costume. I growled. I'd asked him not to do this⦠then I remembered who Eric was. He was married with kids. I sighed. It wasn't a set up. "What's up, Eric?" I was a little more at ease, but still completely confused as to why he was calling me.
"I just saw your Dad at the gym, and he told me you were in town," he said.
"It's true, just for the weekendâ¦" I didn't know what else I was supposed to say.
"Well, my little brother, Garrett, is in town too. Do you want to go out with him today?" he asked.
I wanted to smack my head against the steering wheel. It was a set up. "I'm sorry, Eric. I can't today. I already have plans," I said politely.
"We're all going to the speedway for the races. They have the best fireworks show in a two hundred mile radius, you know."
"Really? Have you been to them all, and this one's the best?" I asked sarcastically.
"No, I'm just trying to convince you to come. So are you in?" he asked.
"Sorry, I can't. Like I said, I have plans." I said, sprinkling finality into my tone.
"You know it's the Fourth of July, right?"
He was either not picking up on my resistance or ignoring it. Either way it was annoying. "Yes, I know it's the Fourth of July," I snapped. "Listen, I'm only in town for a few days and I don't want toâ"
"Well my little brother's in the Army," he interrupted without skipping a beat. "He just got back from Iraq, and he'll have to go back to Fort Lewis soon. I want to make sure that he has a good time while he's here. He hasn't been on a date with a beautiful woman in a year."
I had to end this speech before he made me feel any guiltier for turning him down. "I'm sure your brother will have a great date⦠just find another girl for him to go on it with, okay?" Why wouldn't this guy just drop it?
"If you won't go out with a soldier, one that just got back from war," he added. "On the Fourth of July⦠people might call you unpatriotic."
I choked on my rebuttal. What could I say to that? "What time is he picking me up?" I asked in defeat.
"Garrett will be there at three," he promised with a smile in his voice.
"Fine, I'll talk to you later," I said, hanging up before he had said goodbye.
Chapter Five
When I got home, my father was