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“Yes.” Bella cleared her throat. “That was him.”
Yolanda’s eyes popped out of their sockets. “Come again?”
“That was him.” Bella sipped juice. “I’ve been in love with him for a while now.”
“Is this a joke?” Yolanda stirred her spaghetti. “You’ve got to be pulling my leg. No way could you be in love with that boy. He looked like he wasn’t even twenty.”
“He’s twenty-four, and I’m in love with him, Yolanda.” Bella looked at her. “And I slept with him.”
She dropped her fork. “You slept with him?”
“I know what you’re gonna say.”
“I don’t think you do, Bella.” Yolanda exhaled. “I gotta take a moment to process this. He’s twenty-four and you’re forty-five.”
Bella nodded. “I know that.”
“He’s white and you’re black.”
Bella nodded. “I know that too.”
“He’s your student and—”
“Not anymore. He left the university a few weeks ago.”
Yolanda wrapped spaghetti around her fork. “Why did he do that?”
“It hurt him too much to be in my class with what he was feeling. How he felt then is how I feel now…tortured. I know it sounds ridiculous but I felt like I was living again with Cameron. I felt I had a purpose besides teaching and cleaning up Isaiah’s messes.” She picked up her fork and dragged it through her spaghetti. “It felt so good to have a man who cared for me and wanted to be there for me. He was so unselfish and kind.” She put the fork down. “I can’t believe I was so stupid. How could I let him walk away when he’s the best thing that’s happened to me since Ollie?”
“Bella?” Yolanda whispered. “Are you in love with this boy?”
“Yes.” Bella dabbed her mouth with the napkin. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so in love before.”
* * * *
Bella walked through the barren park the next evening.
Cameron sat on the bench by the duck pond.
She took a deep breath. Talk about eating crow. She never did like swallowing her pride, but he was the only thing worth fighting for in her life now.
She took measured steps toward Cameron’s bench.
Happiness and love are more important than pride.
“Hello, Cameron.”
He looked up and jerked. “Bella?”
“Hey.” She sat beside him and glanced at the tiny ducks swimming in a circle. “How are you?”
He gestured to her with both hands. “What are you doing here?”
“I stopped by your place.” She turned toward him. “Artie told me you were here, so here I am.”
He looked toward the ducks then back at her. “And why are you here?”
“I missed you.” She reached for his hand but backed off. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”
“I thought you’d be fine as long as you didn’t have to deal with me anymore.”
“Come on. I begged you not to leave Elrod, and you did it anyway.”
“What do you expect?” He lowered his voice when an old man on a cane passed behind the bench. “I’m supposed to put my feelings aside and love you from afar? Shit, Bella this entire time we’ve been focusing on your feelings. I got tired of it. I needed to prove a point to you.” He turned away from her. “You needed to take me seriously.”
“You think I don’t?”
“I know you’ve dealt with a lot, but I wanted to be there for you. It would’ve meant the world to me.” He scratched his head. “I might be young, but when it comes to love and happiness, I think I know more about it than you do.”
She digested the comment. “Perhaps that’s true.”
“Why are you here?”
“I can’t do it, Cameron.” She sat back. “I thought I could live without you but I can’t.”
“What?”
“I thought I could control this thing between us.” She chuckled. “Why I don’t know, since I’ve never controlled much of anything in my life. When you left Elrod, I was crushed. I felt the same way I did when my husband and son died.”
He showed a sympathetic expression.
“I felt empty.” She moved hair out of her face. “I’ve felt that way my entire life and I’m sick of it.” She put her hand over her eyes. “I am so sick of it.”
“Am I dreaming?” He scooted closer to her. “Are you saying what I’ve been dying to hear since I first laid eyes on you?”
The ducks quacked as if they awaited an answer too.
Bella moved her hand from her eyes. “If you’re asking me if I want to try things, then yes…yes I do.”
“You wanna be with me?” He touched her thigh. “You want to be in a relationship with me for real?”
“God help me.” She looked up and exhaled. “I don’t have a choice. I know I can’t go without you in my life, and I’m tired of losing everything.” She sandwiched his face in her hands. “It’s time I start hanging on to something.” She kissed him.
“I love you.” He hugged her. “I promise to show you that every day of my life.”
“I promise to let you show me.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “You already have.”
The End
Sugar and Spice Press
Where romance is everything nice.
www.SugarNSpicePress.com
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve