Letting Go (Mitchell Family #1)(3)
Author: Jennifer Foor

When I heard someone enter the room, figuring that it was just a nurse, I didn’t look up. I didn’t want anyone to tell me to stop. I didn’t even care if they called security. I had waited six months to touch the love of my life, no one could ruin this moment.

After at least four minutes of making mad passionate love in that hospital bed, I heard a man clearing his throat. I jumped up off of the desk and looked around the room. Ty was still hooked up to the machines and everything I had experienced had been a damn dream.

The guy cleared his throat again.

I don’t know why I did it, but I just sat there staring at him. He wasn’t a stranger; in fact, I had known him since I was around ten years old. The dream was so fresh on my mind that I couldn’t let myself speak yet. I wanted to go back to sleep and see Ty. It had felt so real.

“I figured you’d be here.” The guy said rudely.

I finally let myself snap out of my fantasy. Seeing yet another rude person from Ty’s family was the last thing I needed. “Colton Mitchell, are you really going to be that way to me too?” I asked defensively.

“I aint got nothing to say to you Van. I wasn’t here. All I know is what my aunt and uncle tell me.” He explained.

I shut the book I had been looking at before I fell asleep. “So what are they saying now?” I asked.

Colt stood in front of me. He had removed his dirty baseball hat and held it in his hands. He was even more handsome than a couple years ago when he last came to visit. When we were kids, he would make fun of me for having a gap between my teeth and a flat chest. He called me the ugliest boy in town. I was a late bloomer, I couldn’t help that, but the braces did solve the tooth issue.

Now Colt, well, all the girls liked him. He was older than all of us, at least by three or four years. His teeth were always perfect and he had the body of a man by thirteen years old. Now his shoulders were broader and under that old t-shirt was probably the finest chest this state had ever seen. When we were younger his hair was longer, but now it was only long enough to barely show out of the bottom of his hat. It was messy and I could see the shape of his hat still in it.

I didn’t know the last time he had seen Tyler, but he would be surprised at how muscular he had gotten before the accident. Being on the college football team caused him to bulk up a bunch and by the first game; he was thirty more pounds of muscle. They shared the same hair color. It was dark in the winter, but from working the crops, got lighter in the summer.

I noticed I was daydreaming about the Tyler I missed, and gave my attention back to Colt.

He shrugged and looked down at his cousin in the bed. “You already know what they are saying Van. Can you blame them?”

Tears filled my eyes. Tyler was lying lifeless, I had lost him, and now I had lost them. The family that I had loved as my own for so many years. “No.” I covered my face with my hands. The tears poured out and I could feel my body shaking. “I am so sorry.” I said in a muffled voice.

“Ah hell Savanna. I don’t know what to say to you. I sure as heck don’t feel like hearin ya cry.” His southern accent was so strong, but I guess that is what happens when you live in Kentucky.

I stood up and started grabbing my things. “Maybe I should just go then, because all I seem to do is cry and ruin people’s lives.”

I started walking past Colt. His strong hand grabbed my wrist. “You don’t have to leave.” He whispered, seeming unsure of his reaction.

I stood close to him and looked up into his eyes. They were still that light green that I always remembered. His brow was creased in a way that made me think he was in pain. He had thick dark eyebrows that made his eyes seem even lighter and accentuated his frustration with this situation.

“If I could take things back, I would. I never wanted this Colt, I swear.” I confessed.

He leaned over the bed, looking at Tyler. “Yeah, I reckon it was just bad timing. I know he liked his Jack. His momma and daddy didn’t know about that. I don’t blame ya, but I would like the whole story. The full one.” He replied.

I nodded my head. “Okay, but not here. I don’t like talking about it around him. I know it sounds silly, but I feel like he hears me. I don’t want to upset him.” I admitted.

“Fine, I have the truck. You want some dinner? I got off a plane a couple hours ago and haven’t had nothin to eat all day.” He confessed.

I hadn’t gone anywhere with anyone for so long. At first, I wanted to say no, but this was Colt, someone who knew me before I was with his cousin. He knew I wouldn’t hurt anybody intentionally. “Okay, we can grab something to eat.”

I leaned over and kissed Ty before following Colt out of the hospital room. When we got outside, I recognized the old pickup truck immediately. It was Ty’s fathers. I assumed that Colt borrowed it to come see Ty. We both climbed into the old clunker and headed down the road.

Colt pulled over at an old diner on the edge of town. They were known for being open twenty-four hours and having the best pies around. We found a small booth in the far corner of the place and sat down facing one another. Once the waitress got us drinks and we both ordered food, Colt got right down to business.

“You gonna start explainin’ soon?” He asked.

I played with my paper place mat, never looking up at his face. My sexual dream with Ty was still fresh in my head and I felt myself blushing just thinking about it. I took a deep breath and focused on the guy sitting across from me. The one that made fun of me since I was around ten. “A month before the accident I told Tyler that I needed some time. I was struggling with my courses and figured if we just spent some time apart I could focus better. I swear it was not because I didn’t want to be with him. My feelings for him never changed.” I promised.

Colt took a sip of his beer. “Did you explain that to him?”

“Of course I did, but he just assumed it was something else. Anyway, after a week or so, he stopped calling me so much. I missed him, but I figured he was just giving me some space.” I fell silent for a moment, because the next part of the story was like stabbing myself in the heart.

Before I could even open my mouth, I felt the tears building in my eyes. “He found other ways to deal with the breakup.” I confessed in a quiet voice, just hoping he understood.

“Other ways? Or someone else?” He asked calmly.

“Yes.” Was all I could get out.

Colt took another sip of his beer. I still couldn’t look at him. “Are ya sayin’ he had another woman?”