Don't Say You Love Me

Chapter TWENTY NINE

Teegan

It would be way easier if I could actually be mad enough to forget about him.

But, alas, it's been like twelve hours since I found out about Cohen and Lola and while I'm still pissed that he kept that from me, I'm realizing it's not really that big of a deal. Also, I've almost called him like three times already.

I let Lola get to me, which I shouldn't have done. She made it seem like it was the worst thing ever that I'd been hanging out with her ex, and, honestly, it's not. She's had sex with three other guys since then and has a new boyfriend. She shouldn't care. But then I realized that he knew our connection and kept it from me. And while I should have waited to call him, I called while I was still fuming.

Now, I see him cut out through Mr. Jackson's yard and onto the beach while I'm out for a walk with the kids and my heart literally starts thumping. Oscar is filling his bucket with dry sand and Josie is talking about how Lola is going to buy her some make up and then all of a sudden there is Cohen. He looks like he's surprised to see me, and like he's on a mission. By the time our eyes meet, he's practically running to get away.

    "C'mon, let's walk back," I say to the kids.

    "You said we could go far," Oscar tells me. "I didn't get any shells yet."

    "Yeah my legs aren't tired yet," Josie agrees.

I told them I'd take them for a walk so I could tire them out. Since I begged my mom to get my shift at the hut covered for today, she said I had to babysit while she went out for a drink with Kelly and another friend. Kelly's niece, Katrina, who I've never met, was available to work. Not being at the rental hut right now feels strange, and I want to know why Cohen seemed to be heading back in that direction. But I can't keep walking that way, because he'll think I'm following him.

    "I'll make some popcorn when we get back," I tell them, hoping that does the trick.

    "Yay!" Josie yells and spins around.

    "Fine," Oscar says and goes a little further to get a rock before coming back and following me.

We're less than ten minutes from the house, so when we go in the back door, I remind the kids to wipe their feet and then go wash their hands. As they are running off, my phone buzzes.

I haven't talked to Kiara in a few days and now that I see this text from her, it hits me that I haven't updated her on any of this. She doesn't know that I kissed Cohen or that we're fighting because he didn't tell me that he dated Lola. It's a lot.

    Hey girl. Miss you. What's going on?

Heyyy! Miss you too. I'm good. Maybe we can chat later? I send back.

Kiara: Yes, let's do that. Let me know when!

The kids are settled in eating popcorn and watching a movie when I finally decide to call her. She's my best friend, but I feel like I've been in this all alone. The past three weeks have flown by, too.

    "Hey," she answers, and there's a lot of background noise where she is.

    "Hey!" I call out, moving to the kitchen.

    "I'm just at a party!" Kiara yells and my stomach tightens. It's only a bit after 7:30P.M. so I'm sure it's not a crazy, wild, drunken party. She's never been interested in parties like that. "I don't think I'll be out late. Can I call you back?"

    "Of course," I say quickly. "Have fun!"

She hangs up without another word.

An hour later, I put the kids to bed without giving them baths because they were both yawning and Josie was half asleep on the couch. After two books, Oscar's eyes are finally closed so I slip out of his room.