Seven Ways to Lose Your Heart (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kennedy

I still didn’t hear from her. Instead of wallowing, I threw myself into the internship submissions. I gave a virtual middle finger to their submission guidelines and turned in my novella instead of the required two thousand words.

I still didn’t hear from her.

I finished our story for the blog.

Still no word.

I grow so used to not seeing her, it takes my breath away when I do. I spot her leaning against my truck on my way to sign up for some fall courses at the community college. Annabel is waiting for me. She’s sporting a pair of blue leggings and a Diplo T-shirt. The sight of it gives me a bit of hope. If she’s wearing that shirt then it means she doesn’t completely connect our time together during that show to memories that pain her.

I open my mouth to tell her all of the millions of things I’ve been dying to say since our prolonged silence, but nothing comes out. I can’t pretend things are okay, because I am not fine without her. I can’t attempt a joke or play around like seeing her isn’t a punch in the gut…because what if this is the last time I get to see her?

“Before you say anything, I’d like to speak,” Annabel finally pipes up.

I wasn’t planning on saying anything. Mostly because I was too afraid I’d fall to my knees and beg her to give us a shot. Like a real putz.

Annabel twists her hands until they’re all red and blotchy. “I don’t know how to do this,” she admits.

“Just say whatever it is that you feel, Annabel,” I urge softly.

Annabel nods. “Okay. What I feel. I can do that.” She continues her self-directed pep talk.

“You can,” I add, hoping to boost her courage.

“I love you,” she says.

“Annabel—”

“I love you, but I’m so scared of losing you again,” she continues, cutting me off. Of course I was foolish to think it would be as simple as all that. “I always weigh every choice in my life by the concept of risk versus reward. The risks are monumental. There are so many reasons why this could fail. I’m neurotic and could push you away. The distance could become burdensome. I could lose myself in my studies, and you’d be left feeling neglected. This. Us. I can’t control it. And that’s the biggest risk of all.”

I swallow hard and look away from her. At any moment, she’s going to say the words I’ve been dreading for more than a week.

“But the reward, Kennedy. The reward is I get to go another day loving you.”

I look up and find her eyes. Those sweet, sweet eyes.

“And maybe it will be a short-lived reward. But it’s not one I’m willing to pass up—”

I don’t wait to hear any more. I run over and sweep her up in my arms, pulling her to me for a deep, long, lingering kiss. “I’m so sorry,” she cries between our kisses.

“Don’t,” I murmur against her lips. “I don’t mind a little fighting when the making up is so damn good.”

Annabel melts into me, and I wonder what Mrs. Peterson would think if we went for it right in the middle of the street. “Have you heard anything about the internships?” she asks, when we manage to separate for a moment. Mostly because we need to breathe and all. “Your story was amazing, Kennedy. After I read it, I wanted to come to you, but I was so overwhelmed by the things you wrote about us. I was shamed by how you’ve always believed in us when I doubted.”

“If my story was any good, it was because I had a great partner. I always believed in us, but it took you to believe in myself.” I kiss her again. Because I can. I kiss her until our lips are swollen. “I haven’t heard about the internships yet. I’ve been too nervous to check my email. Should hear from the
Richmond Times-Dispatch
today.”

If there was one I wanted, it was the
Richmond Times-Dispatch
. It would place me less than an hour from Annabel, and it was a supercool scene. Annabel jolts back. “Well, what are you waiting for? Open your damn email!” she exclaims.

“And if I don’t get it?”

“You’re still the best risk I’ll ever take.” She beams.

I pull out my phone and scroll through my emails. Right after the one from my editor telling me he loved my story is one from the
Richmond Times-Dispatch
. I take a deep breath and open it.

“Holy shit,” I say, slowly. I have to read it twice to believe. “I got it! Annabel! I fucking got it!”

Annabel squeals and jumps into my arms. I spin her around as I cover every inch of her face with kisses. “God, I’m the luckiest son of a bitch in the entire universe,” I say as I sit her back down on the ground.

“Luck has nothing to do with it. That was all you, Kennedy Harrison,” Annabel counters, punching me in the arm.

“No, Annabel Lee. Anything that has to do with you is totally destiny.”

She shakes her head and laughs. “Agree to disagree?”

“Always.”

Epilogue

“At some point, we’re going to have to stop kissing in the middle of the road,” Annabel mumbles against my lips.

“Why? Are you not enjoying it?” I ask, gently tugging on her hair, so I can get to her neck. Annabel giggles, pinching my ass hard until I stop. “What? It’s not like a car’s going to come anytime soon. It’s ten p.m. on a Tuesday night in Belltown.”

This is where we meet any time we both manage to get back to Belltown on the same weekend. Right in front of Mrs. Peterson’s bookshop. The place we were when we agreed to give us a shot. It hasn’t been easy. It’s hard having the girl you’re just fucking wild about not in the same town as you are. But it’s the hard parts, the lonely nights, the missed phone calls, the frustration, that make all the moments like this so powerful. I thank God every day I got this second chance with Annabel Lee, and there’s nothing that would make me give it up.

“I thought you had some big surprise?” she asks, pushing me out of the road and onto the curb.

“Surprise? Did I say surprise? I don’t remember that. Why would there be any sort of surprise?” I tease. Only ’cause it’s the birthday of the girl who made my world everything that it was.

Annabel Lee rolls her eyes. I laugh. “God, who knew I could miss eye-rolling,” I say, grabbing her and pulling her into another kiss.

“How about you take me upstairs and show me how much you missed this eye-rolling. I dare you to,” Annabel whispers.

Without wasting another second, I lift Annabel up and throw her over my shoulder. Despite her very loud protests to put her down, she laughs the entire way into the Bookie Joint and all the way up the stairs.

“I’m about to show you how much I missed you,” I growl, throwing her on the bed.

“I can’t take you seriously wearing that tie,” Annabel giggles.

“I had a meeting with the managing editor. Had to look my best,” I scoff, pulling off my tie. “Besides, this thing could have other uses than just impressing my boss.”

Annabel pulls herself up so she’s leaning on her elbows. Staring at me, her face all flushed, her breath all heavy, she’s the damn loveliest thing I’ve ever seen. “I dare you to show me,” she purrs.

God, she gets me going. Especially when she says something like that. As much as I want to ravish her right then and there, I have something else to do. “Just give me one moment, Le Chat.”

Annabel groans and throws herself back on the bed. I can’t help but chuckle, a little proud I get her going, too. When I return to the bed, I take her hand and pull her up, so she’s sitting next to me. I place the wrapped gift in her hands.

“I thought you said there wasn’t a surprise?” she asks.

“Did I say that? Hmm. I don’t remember saying that. Open it.” My throat goes dry as she gets to work.

“
Double Trouble Double Dog Bubble Dare: The Sequel
,” she reads aloud as she pulls out the book. I kept my copy of the real book on my desk at work. After about the billionth joke from Ryan, who worked in Comics, he finally asked me about it. When I told him the story, it suddenly occurred to me that with his help, I could write a sequel. Sure, no one would see it but us, but
Double Trouble Double Dog Bubble Dare
was only the start of our story. The pages I sent to Annabel back at the end of the summer were about our past; this was about our future.

Ryan drew the pictures and I wrote the story. The story of Annabel and Kennedy. The couple who would dare each other to make long-distance work. The couple who would dare each other to go to another music festival. The couple who would dare each other to follow their dreams of becoming a writer and a historian. The couple who would dare each other to love each other forever.

When Annabel finishes reading the book, she looks up at me and places a hand on my cheek. “I dare you,” she promises.

“I dare you, too.”

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Acknowledgments

When I started this book, my life was one thing, and as I wrote it, it became something else. It has been a journey, and I am so thankful to the people who helped keep me sane. You know who you are. To my grandmother—whom I lost unexpectedly while writing this—you are missed. More than any collection of words can express. To my fairy editor godmother, Stacy, your wisdom and patience continue to amaze me.

About the Author

Tiffany Truitt
lives with her Netflix and junk food in Virginia. She is a graduate from Longwood University with a Masters in Literature from Old Dominion University. Previously she has worked in the realm of Young Adult literature having written The Lost Souls Series, Because You Exist, and The Language of Silence. This is her first New Adult book.

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