Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“Good.” He gives me a searing kiss goodbye, and I take off to meet Nick. He’s waiting for me at the theater where we agreed, and thankfully doesn’t ask any questions. We head straight to the mall, where he helps me pick out my first set of Louis Vuitton luggage—a gift from his family for my graduation—as well as some new outfits and toiletries I’ll need to get me started once I’m over there.
Once we’re done shopping, we head to dinner, and then afterward Nick drops me off at home. I quickly change my clothes and pack a bag. Since my mom isn’t home, I leave a note that I’m spending the night at a friend’s house, and then take a taxi over to Jase’s. When I arrive, he’s already home from work and greets me at the door with a kiss.
The next few days continue the same way. During the day, while Jase is at work, I hang out with Nick—he keeps me company while I pack for New York, we have lunch with Killian on campus since he’s finishing up the last of his finals, and I even join him at the gym, since he’s insistent he gets some training in, even though he’s in his off-season.
My nights are spent with Jase. We hang out with his brother and sister just long enough to not be rude—usually ordering in dinner—and then we excuse ourselves to bed, where we spend the rest of our night kissing and cuddling and making love.
Now it’s the day of my graduation rehearsal and my time has run out. I’ve spent the entire morning with Jase in bed since his first appointment isn’t until this afternoon. Just like every morning before he leaves for work, he leans down to kiss me and asks, “Will I see you later?” But unlike every morning when I tell him yes, I can’t say that. Because tonight after my rehearsal, I have a family dinner with Nick’s family and my mom, and then tomorrow morning is my graduation.
I open my mouth to explain all of this to him, but I can’t do it. There’s a good chance he’s going to be pissed that I’ve lied. Tomorrow. I’m going to tell him tomorrow. Once I’ve officially graduated. We’ll sit down and I’ll be honest with him. But then what? I ask myself. He loves his job. He has an entire life here. He isn’t going to follow me to New York. I shake the thoughts from my head. We’ll figure it out.
“Celeste?” He says my name, getting my attention. “Will I see you later?” he repeats.
“No.” I shake my head. “I have this family thing I have to do tonight and tomorrow. How about tomorrow night? I can come by after you get off work.”
Jase looks like he wants to ask for details but instead nods. “Okay. Tomorrow night.”
Pulling him down to my level, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him hard. I’m not sure why, but it feels like I need to somehow convey every feeling I have for him into this kiss. So when I tell him the truth tomorrow night, he’ll be understanding.
Once our kiss ends, we say goodbye, and Jase leaves for work. After I shower and get dressed, I text Nick to see if he can drive me over to NCU to my rehearsal, since it will cost me a fortune to take a cab there. He, of course, says yes. Since the theater is too far of a walk, and I don’t want to bug Quinn to drive me, I have him pick me up at the corner store around the block from Jase’s place, using the excuse that I spent the night at a friend’s place. I’m not sure if Nick buys it, but he at least doesn’t question it. I’m not even a block away from Jase’s apartment and my heart and body are already missing him.
* * *
We arrive at NCU and head straight over to the auditorium where the graduation is taking place. The teachers and administrators walk us through how everything will go tomorrow. When my row is called up, I walk across the stage, along with everyone else in my row. It’s only the rehearsal, but for some reason it all hits me hard. Tomorrow I graduate, and then I’m supposed to get on a plane and fly five hundred miles away from Jase. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love a damn week before leaving. Hell, I wasn’t supposed to fall in love at all. I have a dream, a goal. I’ve had a vision of what my future is supposed to look like since I was a kid. And nowhere in that future, am I supposed to fall in love with Jase.