Miles From Kara by Melissa West Page A

and sat down in the sand and bent my knees out in front of me. The water had calmed down, and the sun was beginning to set over the horizon, spreading out yellow and orange ripples across the ocean’s water. It was beautiful and peaceful and perfect. Just like Colt.
    I drew a breath as Colt sat down beside me, mimicking my pose. “I guess I realized that we no longer made sense. I stopped caring about things I should care about, ya know? And that wasn’t fair to him. He deserved for someone to care.”
    Colt nodded, and then hesitating, he asked, “Do you still love him?”
    I felt my chest tighten at the question, at the answer that came to me immediately. “I don’t think I ever did,” I whispered.
    Colt reached over and pulled me closer to him. “Thank you. That’s what I’d hoped you’d say.”
    I peered over. “You did?”
    â€œEthan’s a good bloke. I didn’t feel right moving in on his girl while he was gone, but I guess I never really felt like you were his to begin with.”
    Guilt washed over me. Ethan was a good guy, and he didn’t deserve for me to be so emotionless for so long. “Yeah, I don’t think I was. But honestly, I don’t think he was mine either. We wanted it to work, but it just . . . didn’t.”
    Colt started to say more, when the rest of the group ran up to us. “Hey!” Taylor shouted, and then sensing the seriousness of our chat, he changed his tone. “Oh, sorry, were you guys in the middle of something?”
    â€œUh, no. What’s up? Is everything okay?”
    â€œAlyssa got stung by a jellyfish. We’re taking her to an urgent care to get treated. Olivia wanted me to run down to tell you.”
    I jumped up. “Oh my God.” I stared down the beach to our group, who were all huddled around Alyssa. I glanced back up at Colt. “I’m sorry. I have to go. Can you get a ride with Taylor?”
    â€œSure, yeah of course.”
    I shot him another long look before rushing after my friends, sorry that Alyssa had gotten hurt, but thankful to be free from the intensity of Colt and my conversation. I could handle talking about Ethan, but talking about him to Colt, the guy I wanted in a way I had never wanted anyone, was too much for me to take.
    I reached the others and helped them take Alyssa to Olivia’s car, while Preston went on back with the guys. Silence fell over the group, and then all the sudden Sarah turned to Alyssa with a grin. “I’ll totally pee on you if you want.” And then we were all laughing, Alyssa cringing with each movement, but all of us unable to stop.

Chapter Thirteen
    I stared at the doorway before me, contemplating whether or not I wanted to go in. Olivia had gone through a lot of trouble to arrange the appointment for me, so I felt bad not showing up, yet . . .
    The words
Dr. Rose Campbell
stood out in black against the white sign outside her office, which was actually inside an old house with a huge front porch that had rocking chairs and a storm door that screamed out every time it moved. I knew because I’d been standing there watching the door for nearly an hour now, and had watched a patient, a UPS guy, and a mailman come by. I found it odd that none of the deliveries were simply dropped on her front porch. Why had they all gone in? Something told me it probably had something to do with Rose’s personality, and that fact was what had me contemplating going inside. I knew from Olivia that her therapist had a way of getting you talking, and while I wanted information on clinical psychology and the ins and outs of running your own practice, I was afraid she’d find some way to convince me to talk about . . . me.
    I dropped my head and sighed heavily, prepared to at least go inside, hoping that maybe I’d get lucky and she’d be too busy to talk, but then the screaming storm door pushed