My Forever Valentine

by Melody Heck Gatto

  “No, Mom. Breaking up with someone is still the same. It’s just more complicated in this case.”

  “Is that why you called? To tell me that you let that wonderful woman get away?” she asked.

  His mom never let him down, always the straight shooter. “And I hoped for some magical Mom advice.”

  His words made her chuckle. “Okay. So let’s talk. Start from the beginning. What happened?”

  Spencer told her all about Isaac coming back around and his catching him at her apartment, the recent blow up, and how he’d been keeping his distance with no idea what to do next.

  “You and that temper of yours. I told you it was going to get you in trouble one of these days.”

  “My temper didn’t cause this.” Or had it? That remained to be seen.

  Her frustrated sigh told him all he needed to know. “What did she have to say?”

  “You mean about having Isaac at her house right after I decked him?” Taking a breath, he took a moment to settle down before continuing. “I haven’t talked to her about it.”

  “At all?”

  “No.”

  “Oh, Spencer. Why not?” his mom’s voice full of question and disbelief.

  “I haven’t talked to her too much at all.” He didn’t need to explain to his mom, she knew him better than anyone.

  “Okay,” his mom said calmly. “My first bit of advice to you is talk to her.”

  Spencer rolled his eyes. That was easier said than done.

  “Stop rolling your eyes at me. I don’t have to see you to know that you are. You don’t know for sure whether she’s seeing Isaac again. The only way you’re going to get to the bottom of this is to talk to her.”

  “What am I supposed to say? Hi Harley. Are you cheating on me, or are you back with Mr. Lame? And why?”

  “You probably want to fine tune that, so you don’t sound so harsh. I mean, are you trying to make the poor girl cry?”

  He never wanted to make Harley cry. Ever.

  “Once you’re calm enough to talk to her like an adult, sit her down and talk it out. If she’s really back with him, then you need to deal with it. But even if she is, there’s nothing saying you can’t throw your hat back in the ring. You did it once.”

  “True.” Spencer wasn’t known for giving up so easily, especially against someone like Mr. Lame.

  Spencer wasn’t ready to give up that hope. That girl had found her way into his heart, and he was going to fight for her.

  “If you truly love her, you have to have faith that you’re meant to be together. If you feel that in your heart, then don’t give up on her just yet. And most importantly, talk to her!”

  After hanging up with his mom, he sat and thought about her words. She was right, which was nothing new. His mom was always right when it came to advice, and that’s why he never hesitated to go to her.

  Having faith was something he could do, no doubt. But confronting her? He wasn’t ready. And it wasn’t because he was scared or chicken, and he really hated being called that. It was because he didn’t know how to ask her about it. If he said it wrong, or was too accusatory, he could push her away for good. More than his girlfriend, she was his friend, and he didn’t want to lose that.

  “Did Aunt Alice come through with her magical advice?” Zane asked, emerging from his room carrying two boxes marked bedroom.

  “You want some help with those?” Spencer asked from the couch.

  “Nah.” Zane set them by the door. “Thanks anyway. I can’t believe I’m moving. It’s hard to remember a time we didn’t live here, huh?”

  “Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.”

  The truth was they had lived together for most of their lives. First at home, then here in this apartment. That fact was hitting Spencer hard right now. This weekend would mark the end of an era.

  Chapter Thirteen

  HARLEY

  Harley slowly crept down the stairs to the living room. She was greeted with a sea of moving boxes. Somehow she’d forgotten that today Zane was bringing most of his boxes over. She hadn’t even had her second coffee yet, and she needed to deal with this.

  This was not how she wanted to start her Sunday. She had picked up another extra shift yesterday at the diner, and she still had so much work left to do for classes this week. She was exhausted, and she had no time or energy to deal with her own emotions about Zane moving in and her not moving out.

  She refilled her coffee mug. As she pulled the vanilla creamer from the refrigerator, thoughts of Spencer filled her mind.

  Why in the world did he think she was better off with Isaac? Did he think that macho-crap he pulled the other day was really so terrible that she would leave him over it? Sure, it was uncalled for, but she would never leave him over it, and certainly not for Isaac.

  “Morning, Harley,” Zane called from the doorway, as he carried in another box.

  She waved and hurried back to her room, the one place she could hole up in and miss Spencer in peace and quiet.

  Looking at her laptop, she knew she should be working. She had a project due this week. But instead, she took a sip of coffee, set it on her bedside table, and lay down on her soft, welcoming bed.

  Maybe she should’ve picked up a shift today, too, just to get a break from the lovebirds’ moving day.

  She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, until Lily and Zane’s voices burst her peaceful bubble. Of course she loved them, they were her family, but she missed Spencer, and seeing those two happy, in love, and moving into the next phase of their lives had made a permanent rock in her stomach.

  Slipping her headphones on, she blared Paramore’s music, blocking out the laughter of Lily and Zane as they moved his things into her...their apartment. Harley turned up the volume. The louder, the better, as she lay on her bed.

  The apartment pamphlet on her dresser caught her eye. Her heart ached as she picked it up and flipped through the pages. She barely heard the lyrics to her favorite song, as all her focus was on the photos of the apartment of her dreams. Their apartment—hers and Spencer’s. The one they visited on his lunchbreak, too excited to wait, and had known immediately that it was perfect. They were just waiting for the day to sign the lease.

  “What do you have there?” Lily asked.

  Harley hadn’t heard her come in because of the headphones. But the way Lily was nodding at the pamphlet with question on her face, Harley knew what she was asking.

  Harley slid off the headphones and tossed the pamphlet to the side as she sat up. “The pamphlet for the place Spencer and I were supposed to rent.”

  With all the extra money her parents had sent her for holidays, in addition to her paychecks, she would have no problem affording this place on her own. But besides not wanting to rely on her parents to afford that place, she didn’t want to live there on her own—it had been going to be their place. It wouldn’t be the same without Spencer. She missed him more than she was angry at him for acting like a macho jerk. Her heart ached again at the thought of him.

  She also had a secret. Deep down, she appreciated Spencer’s standing up for her, and even though punching Isaac was a barbaric act, it had been exhilarating. But she never wanted to be one of those girls that needed a man to come to her rescue. She could take care of herself. She always had and would continue to. That was her struggle.

  But maybe it was a little nice that he had wanted to stand up for her.

  Isaac never had. There was a good reason that he was her ex-boyfriend. He’d tried so hard to fit her into a mold of what he thought she should be. He’d never bothered to embrace who she actually was.

  “I know I already said this, but you know you can stay here as long as you need to, right?” Lily’s words broke into her thoughts. “I mean this is your home, too. Just because Zane’s moving in, doesn’t mean we’re kicking you out. It was more than big enough for you and me all this time; I don’t think one additional person will be a problem.”

  Harley smil
ed and nodded. “Sure, I know.” But in her heart, she knew there was no way that would work. Zane and Lily were young and in love, and the last thing they needed was a third wheel always in their way.

  “You miss him,” Lily said, scrunching up her nose in a cute sorry-not-sorry kind of way.

  Leave it to Lily to say the exact thing that should’ve stayed unspoken in mixed company. But if she was going to live with Lily and Zane, she’d have to get used to her business being a group discussion.

  “Harley, I don’t mean to pry—” Zane said, as he carried a box by her door.

  “Yes he does,” Lily said with an adoring chuckle.

  They were so cute together that it was almost sickening. Since Spencer had shut her out, her heart was too hurt to enjoy Lily and Zane’s sweet togetherness.

  “Why don’t you just talk to him?” Zane asked.

  “You make it sound so easy.”

  “It can be easy,” he countered matter-of-factly.

  She let out a hard breath. “I know he’s your cousin, but it’s not that easy.”

  “Why not?” Lily added. Her question was full of innocence and her typical nonchalant attitude.

  Lily made it sound as though she were blowing things out of proportion.

  “Because he doesn’t want to talk to me.”

  “Who cares? You need to confront him. Maybe we could have a game night; then he would have to see you.” Lily had all the answers, or so she thought.

  “Hey, Lily, do you know which box I put my waffle maker in?” Zane asked.

  His question was oddly off subject, but a blatant excuse, one that Lily was oblivious to.

  “Um, sure I do. That’s why we marked each box with what room it would go in.”

  He moved as if to leave the room. “That’s okay, I can just rummage through a few boxes—”

  Lily paused at his comment about rummaging through all the boxes that she had probably packed and organized so neatly. “I’ll go find it,” she said, before running out of the room.

  Lily had orchestrated all of Zane’s packing to make it easier to unpack—in Lily’s words. So of course, his question had her running off to find them. His very staged question.

  “I’m sure she won’t be long, so I need to say this now,” Zane said, his voice low. “I really wish you would reconsider and reach out to him. I know my cousin pretty well, and he misses you.”

  “He does?” she said, hopeful.

  “You didn’t hear it from me.”

  “Wait, why do you say he misses me?” She wanted details. Was he moping around? Was he as miserable as she was? Did he say something? “He won’t talk to me, Zane.”

  “It’s just his stupid pride getting in the way.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Harley, are you really still upset with him for punching Isaac?”

  “Not really. But I thought we were in a better place than this. To let something like that mess up what we had... It should’ve been a simple discussion, not a fork in the road.”

  “Har, you really just need to talk to him. Find a way to make him listen.”

  “Found it!” Lily called from the living room.

  “You know what, maybe you could stop by to talk to him. Just show up,” he said. Rushing out the door, he paused. “Sorry, I have to go.”

  Just show up? How did he really expect that to work?

  “Wait, Zane!” she called after him, but he was already on his way downstairs.

  “Zane,” she called as she hurried down the stairs. “What do you mean, just show up?”

  Zane simply smiled at her. “If you just show up, he has to talk to you. What’s he going to do, throw you out?”

  “I hardly think he’d do that,” Lily commented flatly.

  “Don’t you think I’ve tried?” Harley said.

  “I know. But I think you should try again.” Lily shrugged her shoulders. “I know sometimes you need to let down your walls. And I know that you aren’t angry with him for hitting Isaac. Personally, I would’ve rewarded him for that, but that’s just me.”

  Harley looked at all the boxes that filled the living room. She should be packing her own things and getting ready to move with Spencer.

  “I have a project due Tuesday, so I’m kind of busy right now. But if you guys will still be moving things on Saturday, I’ll come help.”

  “And talk to Spencer?” Lily asked.

  “Make sure he’s there, and yes, I’ll talk to him.” Her words were determined. She looked forward to seeing him and hoped he’d be open to a discussion. They were friends first, and she hated that they couldn’t even be that right now.

  “I’ll make sure we have beer and pizza, and I guarantee he’ll be there,” Zane added, excitedly, “Sounds like a moving party to me!”

  HARLEY STOOD AT SPENCER’S apartment door, wondering if she should knock or run away. It felt odd being here with no invitation, and needing to knock instead of just using her key and walking in. She had been standing here for five minutes debating whether this was a good idea or not.

  “Are you going to open the door or what?” Lily asked.

  “Lil, I can’t justify using my key and just walking in.” Not anymore.

  “I don’t know why you two just can’t talk this out.” Lily rolled her eyes.

  “Don’t you think I’ve been trying? He won’t respond to any of my messages.”

  Lily put her keys back in her purse and took a step back.

  Harley didn’t need to say anything; Lily knew she just needed a little space and support.

  And that’s why they were here. Lily had convinced Harley to come here with her.

  “Why did I let you talk me into this? You are more than capable of taking a car over here alone.”

  Lily ignored her annoyance and answered flatly, “But it’s more fun with company.”

  And Harley knew that wasn’t the reason at all.

  Spencer hadn’t returned any of her calls. Showing up and talking to him face-to-face seemed like the only option left. Even if he had turned her away the last time she was here. At the very least, he owed her an explanation. And Lily was going to make sure that happened.

  It was obvious that Lily’s patience was wearing thin. Raising her hand, still very unsure if this was the right move, Harley knocked on the door.

  Noise on the other side of the door told her someone was there. She held her breath as the door opened.

  Disappointment struck her in the heart when it was Zane who appeared on the other side. “Hey, Harley.” Zane held his hand out to Lily, pulling her in for a kiss. “Hey sweetie.”

  “Hey love,” Lily cooed.

  Harley couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She glanced around the apartment as she stepped inside.

  “Harley, I wasn’t expecting you,” Zane said, curiously.

  “You can blame your girlfriend for that,” she said with more sarcasm than needed. Swallowing hard, she added, “I just thought maybe I could talk to Spencer.”

  Zane exchanged an obvious glance with Lily before he answered. “Sorry, Harley. He isn’t here.”

  “Oh.” She did her best to hide her disappointment, but she knew it didn’t work.

  “Maybe she could wait until he gets back?” Lily suggested.

  “No!” Zane said with a rush. “I mean, no. I have no idea when he’ll be back.”

  “Okay.” Harley sighed. “I knew this was a bad idea. I just kind of thought if I came over, we could talk, and I could find out what the hell happened. Are you sure you don’t have any idea what’s going on with him, Zane?”

  “Harley,”—he shook his head—“I can’t get in the middle of this. You need to talk to Spencer.”

  “I would love to talk to him, Zane! But he won’t return my phone calls or texts, and I show up at his place to talk face-to-face, and he isn’t even here. What more can I do?”

  “Keep trying,” Zane answered.

  “For how long?” she asked, pushing back the hot tears
that were stinging her eyes. “We’re supposed to be planning our move, just like you guys. By the time he decides to talk to me, the apartment will be gone.”

  “I know,” Zane answered softly. “But trust me, just keep trying.” He stared right at her as if he were trying to silently tell her something. If she only knew what.

  Chapter Fourteen

  SPENCER

  Spencer emerged from his room, prepared to tell his cousin off, firstly for suggesting that Harley come talk to him face-to-face, and secondly, for not warning him. That’s when he realized Lily was still here. He assumed she had left.

  Spencer dropped his head to avoid meeting her stare, hoping to remain invisible. Quietly, he detoured into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He pretended to search for something with the hope of making a beeline back to his room without being noticed.

  It had taken everything in him to not run to Harley. But she was back with Isaac. And Spencer wasn’t ready for the breakup talk.

  Lily’s head popped up over the refrigerator door, she shut the door on him.

  “That was rude,” she scolded.

  “I didn’t do anything. So how could it be rude?” he answered coolly.

  “Don’t give me that.” Lily spun around to add Zane to her accusation. “And you, Zane. Why did you lie to Harley like that?”

  “Lil, it isn’t our place to get involved. This is between Spencer and Harley.” Zane answered and took her hand.

  Lily threw a nasty look in Spencer’s direction. “Except Spencer can’t bother to answer Harley’s calls, and then he hides out like a big chicken when she shows up here.”

  “I’m not chicken,” Spencer countered.

  “Could’ve fooled me,” Lily accused, her eyes narrowing into slits.

  “Look, Lil,”—Zane pulled her away from Spencer and into his own arms—“we need to let them deal with this.”

  “Then tell your cousin to face his problems and stop running away.”

  Zane shot him a look that said, “Just listen to Lily.”