I care about you, Jake, and I care about what you think. And I need you to trust me on this.” She faced him. “I’m sorry that we won’t be together this summer, but it’s not forever.”
“How long have you known about this internship?” he asked.
“I only found out on Monday that I was accepted into the program.”
“And when did you apply?”
She paused as guilt swept over her. “A few months ago.” She stared at her red toenails sticking out of her flip-flops.
He steered into the parking lot at the bakery and halted the truck. After killing the engine, he turned to her. “Do you know where I’m going with my questions or do I have to explain it?”
“You’re upset that I never told you about the program.”
“Exactly!”
The hurt in his eyes took her breath away for a moment. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner.”
He lifted his ball cap and raked his hand through his darkhair. “I don’t ask for much from you, Jess. In fact, I’ve never asked for a commitment, but today you made me feel like a fool for sitting here waiting for you while you flitter off from college to New York City without looking back.”
“Now wait a minute.” She sat up straight and tapped her finger on the dashboard. “I don’t flitter off here and there. I’ve made it perfectly clear that I wanted to get an education, and going on this internship is part of that plan.”
His frown became sad. “I hold you back.”
She winced at the change in his tone. “What are you saying?”
Looking defeated, he held his hands up in surrender. “I think it’s obvious here. We’re just too different. We’re stuck in this holding pattern and there’s no way out.”
“Wait a minute,” Jessica said slowly. “What do you mean exactly? How is this a holding pattern?”
“I don’t know.” He stared at the steering wheel while running his thumb over it. “I guess it means that I’ll always be stuck here waiting for you, and I’m tired of it. I had hoped we could move beyond this point in our relationship, but we never will.”
Jessica turned toward the windshield. “I thought you would be excited for me, which is why I waited to tell you in person. I wanted to call you and share my news the moment I found out about the internship, but I thought it would be really fun to tell you face to face. I guess I was wrong.”
“No, you weren’t.” He touched her arm. “I am happy and excited for you, but I’m sad for me because this opportunity proves that you’ll never be satisfied living here. You crave a life in a big city. We’re just too different. As much as I love you, I know I have to let you go and let go of the hope of someday being more than your friend.”
She gasped at his words. He’d never said them aloud until that moment, and the shock knocked the wind out of her and stole her ability to speak for a moment. A single tear trickled down her cheek, and she impatiently swiped it away. “Thiswasn’t how I expected my weekend to go.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve managed to upset both you and my sister in less than an hour.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Lindsay and I had a huge argument right before you came over tonight.” She rubbed her hands on her jeans. “I had suggested that she come with me to New York to make sure she really wanted to stay in this community, and it upset her. I’m worried she’s selling herself short by not finishing high school and going to college.”
Jake shook his head while leaning back on the driver’s-side door. “You know, Jessica, you really need to consider what other people want before you push your ideas on them.”
She glowered. “I only have her best interests in mind. After all, she’s my younger sister, and she’s my responsibility now that our parents are gone. I don’t want her to look back someday and regret her choices.”
“They’re her choices to make.”
“You wouldn’t understand.” Jessica folded her arms
“How long have you known about this internship?” he asked.
“I only found out on Monday that I was accepted into the program.”
“And when did you apply?”
She paused as guilt swept over her. “A few months ago.” She stared at her red toenails sticking out of her flip-flops.
He steered into the parking lot at the bakery and halted the truck. After killing the engine, he turned to her. “Do you know where I’m going with my questions or do I have to explain it?”
“You’re upset that I never told you about the program.”
“Exactly!”
The hurt in his eyes took her breath away for a moment. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner.”
He lifted his ball cap and raked his hand through his darkhair. “I don’t ask for much from you, Jess. In fact, I’ve never asked for a commitment, but today you made me feel like a fool for sitting here waiting for you while you flitter off from college to New York City without looking back.”
“Now wait a minute.” She sat up straight and tapped her finger on the dashboard. “I don’t flitter off here and there. I’ve made it perfectly clear that I wanted to get an education, and going on this internship is part of that plan.”
His frown became sad. “I hold you back.”
She winced at the change in his tone. “What are you saying?”
Looking defeated, he held his hands up in surrender. “I think it’s obvious here. We’re just too different. We’re stuck in this holding pattern and there’s no way out.”
“Wait a minute,” Jessica said slowly. “What do you mean exactly? How is this a holding pattern?”
“I don’t know.” He stared at the steering wheel while running his thumb over it. “I guess it means that I’ll always be stuck here waiting for you, and I’m tired of it. I had hoped we could move beyond this point in our relationship, but we never will.”
Jessica turned toward the windshield. “I thought you would be excited for me, which is why I waited to tell you in person. I wanted to call you and share my news the moment I found out about the internship, but I thought it would be really fun to tell you face to face. I guess I was wrong.”
“No, you weren’t.” He touched her arm. “I am happy and excited for you, but I’m sad for me because this opportunity proves that you’ll never be satisfied living here. You crave a life in a big city. We’re just too different. As much as I love you, I know I have to let you go and let go of the hope of someday being more than your friend.”
She gasped at his words. He’d never said them aloud until that moment, and the shock knocked the wind out of her and stole her ability to speak for a moment. A single tear trickled down her cheek, and she impatiently swiped it away. “Thiswasn’t how I expected my weekend to go.” She cleared her throat. “I’ve managed to upset both you and my sister in less than an hour.”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Lindsay and I had a huge argument right before you came over tonight.” She rubbed her hands on her jeans. “I had suggested that she come with me to New York to make sure she really wanted to stay in this community, and it upset her. I’m worried she’s selling herself short by not finishing high school and going to college.”
Jake shook his head while leaning back on the driver’s-side door. “You know, Jessica, you really need to consider what other people want before you push your ideas on them.”
She glowered. “I only have her best interests in mind. After all, she’s my younger sister, and she’s my responsibility now that our parents are gone. I don’t want her to look back someday and regret her choices.”
“They’re her choices to make.”
“You wouldn’t understand.” Jessica folded her arms
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