Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

It took two trips back to Pete’s to get all the material I would need for my shed/closet. Emma ruined the happy high I had from the Americano the moment she told me she needed help with the Sunday crowd. Here I thought I was starting fresh on Monday.

Since Grandpa and Vic weren’t back yet from their fishing trip, I pulled my big girl panties on and headed over to Rusty’s house. As I was on my way, passing the Dunnett factory, it hit me. I didn’t know if Rusty even lived at home anymore. Rusty’s grandparents loved me, or they used to love me. I didn’t feel like visiting old Josie and Becket right now to ask for his whereabouts. I figured he was probably at his dad’s auto shop.

Well, since I was nearby, I decided I might as well get it over with.

The auto shop was full. The smell of motor oil hit me as soon as I stepped foot out of the truck. I wasn’t old Freya who would come to Haywards auto shop every day after school. Those privileges where probably revoked the same day I hopped on a bus out of town.

“Hello.” I smiled at the teenager who walked out to greet me. Ian Moore, his nametag read. Oh God, please tell me Rusty didn’t break best friend code and hired Jana’s relative. I left, so Rusty probably didn’t care for BF code.

“I’m looking for Rusty.”

“What for?” The kid gave me a once-over. I got the feeling he didn’t like thatI asked for Rusty.

“That’s between me and him.”

“He’s with a customer in the last stall. You can wait here for him. I’ll call him over.” I didn’t let him finish; instead, I pushed the employee doors open and strutted inside. Some people turned and gave me weird looks while others whistled. I didn’t remember all of them but was surprised to see how much the ones I recognized had changed over the years. I made my way back until I spotted Rusty’s blondish hair. He was facing away from me; this was a good thing.

He wouldn’t see me coming.

“You’re the only one I can trust with my baby. Thanks for taking great care of her.” I heard part of the conversation Rusty was having with his customer, but that didn’t stop me. I was on a mission, and nothing could derail me.

Or so I thought.

“Russell Joel Hayward.” I stood right behind him and saw the shock on his face when he turned to face me.

“Oh shit,” Rusty muttered .

I was about to take another step toward him, but then he moved to the side and I froze.

The man behind him was silent, his eyes locked on mine. The way the light hit his face made his mossy eyes stand out and turned his russet hair more vibrant. He was always tall, but now he seemed bigger and broader, more muscular. He certainlywasn’t the boy I left behind. He was all man. Unlike Rusty, who was glaring at me, Maximilian looked at me like he didn’t even know me. He wasn’t angry, sad, or devastated. He wasn’t glaring at me or putting off a vibe thatI affected him. He looked at me like I was never anything to him.

Like I didn’t matter.

For once I was at a loss for words. When Max opened his mouth to speak, I braced myself for the words I had prepared myself to hear if this day were ever to happen. I was ready for him to call me a selfish bitch, maybe even a whore. God knows he would think that,but that’s not what happened.

“Freya,” Max said in that calm voice of his, and a part of me that I thought was dead and didn’t exist anymore woke up. All it took was to hearhis voice, and I felt like a live wire.“It’s been a long time, you look well.” Max put his hands in the pockets of his pants and smiled.

I couldn’t get a word out, scared that if I opened my mouth, I would scream. Time ceased to exist. All I could think about was the past, like the time he picked me up for our first date and he couldn’t stop grinning at me. I tried so hard to push back to the present, but it wasn’t happening .

Maximilian wasn’t having the same problem as I was. It was like he didn’t care if I was even there.

“Well, I need to get going. Have a good evening both of you. It was lovely seeing you again, Freya.” He got in his Mercedes and drove away.

I thought I knew pain when I left the three men I loved the most seven years ago. I thought I knew pain when I walked in on Ashton cheating on me.

But no, that didn’t compare to what I was feeling right then. Pain was standing in front of a person you once loved with all your heart, only to realize they must never have loved you at all.

“This doesn’t mean I’m not mad at you,” Rusty said as he hugged me tightly. I didn’t know how he knew Max affected me so much, but he did, and I was grateful. I didn’t deserve his friendship; he was one of the best things that ever happenedto me. The reason I never said goodbye to him was because, if anyone could talk me out of my decision to leave, it was Rusty.

“He d-d-doesn’t even h-hate me,” I managed to say without crying. “That’s good. This is good. Now I can truly move on,” I said, trying to convince myself more than anything. I stepped back, so I could look at him. “Rust, I owe you the biggest apology out of everyone.”

It was crazy how much he had changed, but he was still Rusty, the boy who was always there for me because he knew that I had no one other than Grandpa. His hair was still a few weeks past needing a haircut, he was still rocking plaid, and even though he was still angry with me, I knew deep down in my heart he would forgive me. Except Rusty wasn’t talking. He was just staring at me, and it was giving me the heebie-jeebies.

“Rusty, say something?”

He stood a little taller and crossed his arms. This wasn’t a good sign; this meant he was still angry. “I’m waiting for that apology. I have yet to hear a word.” He raised a brow at me then gave me the tiniest tip of a lip. That tiny little smile was hope that everything would work out just fine.

“Rusty, I am so—"

“I heard kneeling while apologizing works wonders.” The asshole smirked at me while looking down at the floor. I looked down at my outfit and at the dirty, oily floor, and then around at all the people at the shop.

“Are you serious?”

Rusty nodded. Aw man, this would suck. I looked around the room once more and got on my knees in front of my soon-to-be-dead best friend.

“Russell Joel Hayward, ever since I can remember, there have been two men in my life I knew I could always count on. You and Grandpa. You two were my constants, you both have been my only family. Goodbyes are hard, and the day I left, I had already said goodbye one too many times to one too many people, I couldn’t bear to repeat it. I was such a dick and a crappy best friend, but I’m here now, if you’ll still have me. Now if you could please accept my apology because my knees are hurting and I can feel the grime from the floor climbing up my legs.”

“Forgive the pretty girl already, Rust. I know I taught you better than that.” Rusty’s father, Joel, came over and helped me off the dirty floor.

“Freya, good to have you back, girl.” He hugged me and kissed my cheek.

“It’s good to be back, Joel.” I hugged him a little tighter. When he stepped away, I opened my arms at Rusty who grinned and yanked me into a bear hug.

“I missed you,” he murmured in my ear.

“I missed you more,” I replied, my voice getting swallowed by the hoots and shouting from the boys in the shop.

“Your wife will kill you when you get home,” one mechanic I didn’t recognize shouted.

Did he say wife?

“Your wife!” I shouted in shock. A wife would imply Rusty was a married man.A wife meant he got married without inviting me. Oh, man did that hurt.

Rusty gave me a sad smile and played with his ring finger, and what did you know? There was a gold wedding band on it. “Got married two years ago.”

“I’m happy for you.” My voice was weak. I was still in shock, but I meant it.