A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection by Annette Lyon, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, Josi S. Kilpack, Heather Justesen, Aubrey Mace Page B

enough to say no sometimes?
    In a moment of random insanity, she plugged the phone back in and started up the Chicago play list again. She listened—really listened—to the lyrics of “You’re the Inspiration.” As the song moved through her, she swallowed back tears, telling herself that she couldn’t cry now, not yet, or she wouldn’t be able to drive safely. The truth was, she didn’t want to think about how much she loved James. Had always loved him. Still loved him.
    I want to be his inspiration. I want him to want me to be with him. But was I ever more than his errand girl?
    In spite of her efforts, tears streaked down her cheeks. Their relationship hadn’t been always been so one-sided. He used to call her for no other reason but to say he was thinking about her. She used to find sweet notes he’d slipped into her purse. Texts saying nothing but “Love you.” They used to talk about their future, like seeing the Grand Canyon, or traveling to Rome. Over the course of several months, they’d read The Count of Monte Cristo together—the unabridged version. Now she was lucky if he agreed to watch a DVD or go on a ten-minute walk. He was always in a hurry, trying to finish one thing or another. Finally, last night, he’d shown what really mattered to him.
    And it wasn’t me.
    With one hand, she swiped at her right cheek and then the other. She pushed harder on the gas pedal.
     

Chapter Five
     
    James could hardly believe where he was and what he was doing—racing across the desert in the middle of the night in hopes of catching Tess, or finding her... somehow.
    He also couldn’t believe that he’d called Preston, Carson, and McNeil. He’d left a voice message turning down the internship. It was official. He wouldn’t be moving to New York after all. Which meant he needed to find a place to live ASAP. Even if Tess hated his guts and never wanted to see him again, he wouldn’t be spending his summer in the Big Apple. He felt remarkably calm about the decision—and realized that he’d wanted it more because it was something his parents would have wanted, and he was used to thinking that their wishes were his.
    He glanced at the clock, wondering how much of a lead Tess had on him. Hope had said that her sister was driving to their mother’s place in Newport—and even provided an address, which he’d promptly added to his GPS. He shook his head and sighed. Good thing Hope had opened up at least that much; he hadn’t known where their mother lived exactly. California, sure. And a beach rang a bell. Had Tess ever told him where her mother lived? Had he been distracted, thinking of something else, when she did? Or had she not told him, because she knew he wouldn’t remember? Why had he never asked about her family? Did she have siblings besides Hope? He didn’t even know that. What kind of moron of a boyfriend didn’t know things like that?
    Yet she knew all about him. She asked about his childhood, his school years, his favorite movies from junior high, his first crush. He’d loved how she wanted to know everything about him. But I don’t know half as much about her.
    He pressed harder on the accelerator, determined to find her and change things. Tess always obeyed the speed limit. Using that fact, he did math in his head, figuring out how soon he could overtake her if she kept the law, while he went twenty-five over. It could happen, but he’d gotten a late start. There was a good chance she was halfway to Newport already. What if he came upon her in the dark? Would he recognize her car in the dead of night? And if he did, then what? Would he wave at her, telling her to pull over so they could talk? Would she pull over?
    His fist hit the steering wheel, hard. Why had he gotten himself into this mess?
    Because I’ve been an immature idiot.
    Again thoughts of Tess’s quiet probing questions returned. She always managed to talk about him, learn about him, whether it was on a walk under the stars