Unraveled (Holding On Book 3) (2 page)

“
Damnit
!” she grumbled. Her mind began to sift back through the memory of her morning. She must’ve left her phone on her dresser. She was sure it was next to the plate she’d used for her toast. She cringed. Nolan could be a bit of a neat freak. He’d be annoyed that she left for a visit home and had left a mess—or at least a dirty plate—behind.

It was the worst p
ossible day to forget her phone. She wanted to call her sister. Also, Luke would be upset with her if he found out she traveled in questionable weather without it. She’d need it at some point to check in with Nolan. Not to mention, it just felt
wrong
to be without it.

Those thoughts convinced her that l
eaving town without it wasn’t an option. Running back to get it and then heading back out of town would set her back at least half an hour, probably more. But she’d just have to deal with that.

She finished up
at the gas station and headed home. A light snow had already started to fall so she flipped her wipers on.

Despite the unforeseen wrinkle in her plans, it didn’t put a damper on her mood.

Twins
! Quinn and Luke had just had twins. She couldn’t wait to meet them. She also couldn’t wait to see Carter, her nephew. He’d just turned two and she missed him terribly. She was so anxious to be back in her hometown, she could hardly stand it.

Even if it meant having to deal with her mother and her wheedling ways.
Carly…Why can’t you ever get that man of yours to come for a visit…?
Carly…You sure were lucky to snag that boy!
The implication being that she was lucky Nolan was interested in a girl like her. She pushed those thoughts away and concentrated on thoughts of twenty little fingers and twenty little toes. Two precious little heads to kiss. Two adorable little bodies to snuggle.

When she pulled up to the small, one bedroom house she and Nolan were renting, she was surprised to see the trunk of his car open.
It snapped her right out of the happy place she’d gone to in her mind. The trunk was full of…
boxes
?

As she got out of her own car, she took a good look at his. The backseat held his duffel bag, his television, a pile of outdoor gear.

What the hell
? she thought to herself. Even if he’d decided to head to his parents’ house tonight, he wouldn’t need all of this.

She carefully
marched up the icy sidewalk and flung the front door open. “
Nolan
?!”

She heard cussing from within the bedroom and her
heart began to slam around.

“Carly!” he exclaimed
as he appeared in the doorway. There was no way she could miss the look of annoyance on his face. “What are you doing here?”

He moved out of the doorframe
and into the hallway, blocking her way.

“What are you doing?” she demanded back.

He shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting you home.”

“I forgot my phone. It’s on my dresser. But you didn’t really answer my question.”

He took a step toward her and rested his hand on her waist. “I can grab it for you. Why don’t you go grab something to eat quick before you go? You must be hungry after your test. You’ve got a long drive.” He gave her a little nudge.

She didn’t budge.

“What’s going on? What’s with all of the boxes in the car?”

The
fiercely annoyed expression that flashed across his face gave her the answer. The one she’d already come to, but hadn’t wanted to acknowledge. She shoved him aside, pushing her way into their bedroom.

2

More boxes were scattered across the floor. The closet door was open, his side was empty. His dresser drawers were opened and closed to varying degrees. The
sloppiness
of the room was so unlike him. The only reason he’d leave this big of a mess behind him would be if he was in a hurry. Or if he was planning on not coming back to the disaster he’d left behind.

He’d definitely leave a mess behind if it were a combination of the two.

However, she did realize how neatly the boxes were packed. Everything placed inside
just
so
. He’d taken care with the items he was bringing with. A stark contrast to what he was leaving behind.

She put her hand over her mouth and muttered something unintelligible. Her stomach twisted into a sick
-feeling knot. Her heart slammed around some more and the blood felt as though it rushed from her head. She felt the sting of tears but she forbade them to appear. She had had a lot of practice over the years with keeping them at bay.

Something on the
ir unmade bed caught her eye. It was an opened notebook.
Her
notebook. One she’d been studying notes from just before she’d left that morning. It wasn’t opened to her notes at the moment. She lunged for it. She felt Nolan’s fingers graze her wrist but she moved too quickly.

Carly-I’m sorry.

“You’re sorry?!
You’re sorry
?!” She pleaded with herself to keep her voice even. “You’re leaving me?! And all I get are these three crappy words?” She waved the notebook in his face before flinging it across the room. It slammed into the wall and then fell to the floor with a rush of crumpling pages.

“I wasn’t
done
with the note yet,” he said. His tone wasn’t the least bit apologetic.

“That’s beside the point! We’re engaged! And all you were going to give me was a damn note?!” To hell with keeping her voice even. She was furious. She’d take that over being hurt. She was sure that unwanted emotion would be making an appearance soon enough.

She ground her fists into her hips and turned to him with a defiant glare. “So, you weren’t done with the note. Go ahead.” She flung one hand around in the air, motioning for him to continue. “I’m here now. You might as well tell me what you were going to write.”

He looked at her for a moment and she was struck with
a pang of hurt at the dull look in his eyes. He didn’t seem all that upset. If anything, he seemed a bit put-out. Clearly, this was exactly what he’d been trying to avoid. She waited him out a few more seconds. Then she couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

“Come on
, Nolan. You screwed me this morning.”
How could he do that
? her mind screamed. “The least, the very least, I deserve is a damn explanation!”

He straightened himself up, clearly mustering a superior air. Carly had seen him do this before. It had always grated on her nerves.

“Carly,” he began. His voice held forced patience. As if he couldn’t believe he really had to explain the situation. “You know you’re not really cut out to be with me. I’m going to inherit the resort someday. We both know that’s not where you want to be.”

Inherit
? If she had not been so blindsided in that moment, she would’ve let out a rather indelicate snort of contempt. The way he said it made it sound as though he were an heir to something far more prestigious than a vacation spot. One that was similar to those dappled throughout the state.

“It’s not like you’re the freaking lord of a country! It’s a resort! And not
even a ski one!” True, he bragged excessively about the guests they had. Then he would belittle Carly when she didn’t recognize a politician or an athlete’s name. “You have got to be joking. That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard! You’re going to have to do better than that.”

He nervously licked his lips.
Carly felt herself becoming annoyed with the action.

“Well?” she demanded. “I’m waiting.”

He shrugged. “I gave you my answer.”

“Nolan! We’ve been together
two years
! We’re
engaged
! And now, now you decide you can’t marry me because…What? I won’t fit in at the resort? Everyone fits in at a resort!” She dropped her gaze, pulling it from him and scanning the room. If she’d been gone another twenty minutes, he’d likely have been out of here. It hit her then, the reality of the situation. “You’ve been planning this. You’ve been waiting for me to head back to Lanford so you could just up and leave. You knew Quinn would have the babies soon and that I’d head home. You’ve been waiting so you could take the cowardly way out and not even tell me goodbye. I bet you started throwing your things together the minute I walked out that door.” She glanced back at him. He didn’t deny it but he didn’t have to. The overflowing boxes confirmed it. She turned in a circle, taking it all in. From what she could tell, he had everything packed. He was just closing up the boxes and carrying them out.

“You,” she
grated out as she turned to face him again, “are an absolute piece of shit!”

He had the nerve to laugh. “And you really wonder why I would want to sneak out of here? Why I would want to avoid a confrontation with you? It’s
because you are a complete hothead. I knew you’d turn into an irrational bitch.”

She couldn’t argue that she had a temper. But under these circumstances, could he blame her?!
True, her instincts right now were telling her to scream, cry…or at the very least, knee the man in the nuts.

In less than five minutes, he’
d pulled her entire world apart. She was supposed to marry this man. They were supposed to have a future together. She’d given the last two years of her life to him, damnit. He owed her a hell of a lot more than this. He was her whole damn future!

He was her future
…

For just a moment, Carly was preparing to beg, get down on her knees and plead. Do whatever she had to do.
The resolute, distant way he was looking at her snapped the thought out of her head before she’d even finished thinking it. She didn’t want to give him that kind of satisfaction. Because she could tell by the look on his face it would be a futile effort. Even in her injured mood, she could see that it would only be met with indifference.

“Wait. What does this mean? What about school? You
have another semester left too.” Another thought slapped her alongside the head. “You’re moving out! I can’t afford this place on my own! I moved out of the dorms because you asked me to. You
asked
me to come here!”

For the first time, just a glimmer of remorse flitted across his features. Then it was gone so quickly Carly wasn’t sure she’d seen it at all.

“Yeah well, I let the landlord know I was moving out. It’s up to you if you want to stay here. You should probably let him know as soon as possible. Or at least touch base so he doesn’t just start looking for another renter,” Nolan explained.

“When were you going to tell me this?”

His eyes darted to the abandoned notebook.

Carly shook her head in dismay. “I can’t believe you.
What were you going to add to your ‘I’m sorry’? Were you going to tell me to get a new roommate because I’m on my own?” She pulled in several deep breaths, not trusting herself to speak just yet. “We only have three weeks off. Then the semester starts up again.”

“Well, you know, rent is paid through the end of December. So you’re good for the rest of the month,” Nolan pointed out. “I mean, I paid my half even though I’m not going to be here.”

Carly was speechless. Was he subtly implying that she should reimburse him? The tone of his voice made her think that he was. Well, too damn bad. He either did not realize what a huge bind he was leaving her in, or he simply didn’t care. She had a horrible hunch that he simply didn’t care.

Three weeks were going to fly by. Between seeing her family and celebrating the holidays, time was going to go fast enough. Now what? She was supposed to add finding a new place to live
and
moving into that small timeframe?

“
If you can’t afford this place on your own,” Nolan continued, “I suggest you get looking for something else. I’m not coming back. I don’t really need my degree. I’ve kind of gotten bored with school anyway.”

Bored with school and bored with me. Like a spoiled kid who is ready to move on to new, shinier toys,
she thought.
And to hell with the mess that’s left behind
.

“I have nowhere to go,” Carly pointed out. “You can’t get into the dorms this late in the year. Everyone’s already settled for the rest of the school year at this point
. I don’t know anyone looking for a roommate right now.”

He shrugged. “Maybe someone else is in your situation.” Carly doubted it but bit back her retort. “Maybe you should put out an ad. See if you can find a roommate for this place.
Someone to split the rent.”

“It’s a one bedroom!”

“Hey! I’m just trying to help.”