Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 10

emotional blackmail thing. Somehow, I'm now the bad guy because I didn't try hard enough to stop him leaving."
    I sat down across from him. "Are you all right?"
    Will raked his hands from his hair and down his face. "I'll live. It just brought back up a lot of bad memories, you know? It's been years and I'd put it all behind me."
    "Doesn't he get that you're not interested anymore?" I hoped that was the case.
    "He wants another chance."
    "After six fucking years?" I hid my trembling hands under the table. It wasn't my place to plead. I had no right. It's not like we'd talked about anything serious, about love. I wish I had. .
    God, Will. Please don't take him back.
    "We went through a lot together." Will looked at me. Torment in his voice.
    "Does that mean you're thinking about it?"
    "I don't know what to think." He stood up, nearly toppling the chair. "I need to be alone for a while. I'm sorry."
    The screen door slammed behind him. I stared at my hands for a while and wondered what the fuck to do.
    I ate my sandwich in unaccustomed solitude, accompanied by the low rumble of conversation in the living room. Will and Terry had been locked in there since Terry returned from his walk. The fact that the conversion seemed to be even and unpunctuated by raised voices had me mentally packing my bags. Terry was obviously talking Will around. All the words I wanted Will to hear faded away to silence. I picked at my sandwich and decided that, once the guests were checked in, I'd throw my stuff in the car and move on.
    I hadn't expected it to hurt as much as it did.
    I tossed the uneaten sandwich away and headed upstairs to pack.
    "What are you doing?" Will stood on the porch while cold rain sheeted from the roof.
    I shoved my bag into the trunk and slammed the lid down. "Leaving. As soon as tonight's guests have checked in." I scarcely felt the rain.
    "Why?"
    I nodded toward Terry's car, parked beside mine, already covered in wet leaves. "Do you have to ask?"
    "Bryn…"
    "The longer he's here, the more likely he'll stay. For someone who walked away from you six years ago, you're giving him a lot of time. I could give you the usual crap about the house not being big enough for three of us, but I don't think you need to be told that because it's fucking obvious." I took a deep breath. "I don't have any kind of claim on you. We slept together a few times and we made no promises. I'd say that means I can leave."
    "What if I don't want you to?" Will walked down the steps.
    "You can't have it both ways, if that's what you're thinking." I pushed past him. "Let me finish packing so I can be out of here."
    "Bryn…" He grabbed my arm. "Don't."
    I shrugged him off. "Give me a reason why I should stay and I'll think about it."
    The door slammed behind me. Terry leaned in the living room doorway, arms folded across his chest. "Everything all right?"
    "Fuck off, Terry." I stormed up the stairs before I gave in to the urge to punch that smug grin off his bland face.
    I put my best smile on to welcome the guests. I gave them the usual polite lecture about keys and showed them to their rooms, which were nice and warm to combat the gathering chill outside. The rain had turned to sleet, fat snowflakes sliding down the windows. Not the best time to be driving but it had to be done.
    I shoved the last few bits and pieces into my overnight bag and headed down the stairs. Will was nowhere to be seen. Terry wasn't around either. No doubt they were kissing and making up somewhere. I didn't want to know. I slung the bag into the back seat and leaned against the car for a moment. Terry's car was still there, covered in leaves and obviously set to remain for some time. I glanced towards the barn. The clunk of buckets echoed across the yard. It was feeding time and Will would be there, seeing to his horses.
    It would be petty not to say goodbye, as much as it would hurt. I took a deep breath and headed toward the barn. The cold rain made it worse. I pulled my collar up and splashed through the mud.
    Jaime glanced up from the hay bale he was splitting. "You looking for the boss?"
    "Yeah. I just came to say goodbye."
    He shook his head. "I wish you wouldn't, dude. He needs you."
    His words brought a twist to my guts. "Where is he?"
    Jaime shrugged. "I don't know. He called me and told me to go ahead and start feeding."
    "Thanks. I'll…I don't know what I'll do."
    "Take a walk and think. Don't do anything hasty. He's trying to sort it all out. I don't know