Chapter Twenty one

“Are you sure you’ve packed everything?” Mom yells from the living room.

I glance back into my bedroom one last time before wheeling my suitcases out.

“Yes, Mom!” I call, shutting the door behind me. I hurry down the stairs, meeting her by the front door before stepping out into the morning air. It’s been so long since we went on a vacation—not one of their endless business trips, but something real.

As soon as we step outside, Uncle Zachary is already loading our bags into the trunk. He opens the car door for me and I’m just climbing in when Asher’s car swings into our driveway.

“Shit,” I mutter, dropping back down onto the ground with a thud. I am not mentally stable enough for him right now. “Can’t he just let me breathe?”

I push past Uncle Zachary, hiding behind the open car door like it can somehow shield me from the embarrassment.

Mom, of course, is already marching toward him.

Asher steps out of his car, tossing his hair back like he’s in some shampoo commercial. He manages to irritate me without even opening his mouth.

“Hello there, ma’am. I’m Asher Davies,” he says, already reaching out for a handshake.

Mom stares at his outstretched hand… then rolls her eyes so hard I feel it in my bones.

“The boy who cheated on my baby girl,” she says. “What are you doing here? The nerve of you to show up after everything you did.”

He glances at me, but I look away.

“Catherine and I made up last night,” he says confidently. “I know how much I messed up, but we’re in love, and something like that will never happen again. I swear.”

Mom rolls her eyes—again—and turns to me. “Should I deal with him, or will you?”

I sigh. She’s right. Asher has dragged me through an emotional rollercoaster long before Jennifer even appeared. I always had to be perfect. I always had to smile. Always had to act like the flawless cheerleader who didn’t mind his sweaty, obnoxious group of friends.

I step toward them. Mom gives me her reassuring smile, and I manage one back before turning to Asher.

“Asher…”

“Catherine, what’s going on?” he cuts in. “I came to pick you up for school. Tell your mom we’re okay. We settled our dispute.” His eyes search mine like he’s desperate for a script I refuse to read.

I glance at Mom.

“Can you give us a moment? Asher and I need to talk things out… for once.”

She hesitates, reluctant to leave me alone with him, but finally walks away after I plead with my eyes. I can feel Dad’s annoyed gaze burning into my back, but I don’t dare look at him. If I do, I might cry right here on the driveway.

He reaches for my arms, but I jerk back, twisting out of his grasp. His face freezes—shocked, offended—like I’ve done something unforgivable. I fold my arms around myself, holding the trembling in.

“Asher… let’s break up.”

His lips part. “Catherine, what the hell? Are you trying to punish me for what I did to you?”

I roll my eyes, finally seeing clearly the face I used to adore—the perfectly styled brown hair, the blue eyes that could pull me in every single time. Now they just feel… empty.

“Asher, last night I was there with you, and the only thing going through my mind was: how can I let three years of relationship go?”

“You don’t have to.” He steps closer. “That’s why we’re trying to fix us.”

“No, Asher…” I turn away from him. “I’ve searched for something—anything—I wanted to salvage from our relationship besides my wasted time… and I found nothing worth saving.”

“What are you talking about?” His voice cracks, frustration bleeding through.

I shake my head. “I don’t know. But one thing is for sure—whatever we had, or whatever I thought we had…”

“Stop, Catherine.” His tone sharpens. “You’re mad I cheated on you with Jennifer, but that’s behind us. You can’t possibly choose that nerdy dipshit over me.”

Something inside me goes still.

Not hurt.

Not shocked.

Just… still.

I look at him—really look at him—and suddenly everything makes sense. The controlling comments. The jealousy. The way he always needed me to be less so he could feel like more. The way he talks about Dominic like he’s beneath him, like I’m beneath him for even speaking to someone “nerdy.”

A small, humorless laugh escapes me. “Wow.”

Asher frowns. “What?”

“You didn’t even hear yourself, did you? Dipshit? Nerd? You’re so threatened by someone who treats me with basic respect that you have to insult him just to feel big.”

His jaw ticks. “Catherine, don’t twist my—”

“I’m not twisting anything.” I lift my chin, the wind brushing past my shoulders, cooling the heat under my skin. “I’m finally listening.”

He reaches for me again, desperate now. “Catherine—”

I step back. “Don’t. Just… don’t.”

His eyes widen.

“My worth isn’t measured by the kind of boys who want me. And I’m done letting you make me feel like I’m lucky you chose me.” I breathe out, my throat tight but my voice steady. “You were lucky I loved you. And you threw that away.”

He says nothing.

He just stands there, chest rising and falling, mouth opening but no words coming out. Like he finally realizes he can’t charm his way out of this one.

“Asher… we’re done.”

I don’t wait for him to finish. I just turn and hurry to the car, hopping in and slamming the door shut.

“That’s my baby,” Mom whispers as she pulls me into a hug. The stone in my chest loosens, and suddenly the tears come.

“Thank you, Mom.” I chuckle weakly just as the car roars to life. I risk one last glance toward Asher—he’s still standing there on our driveway, frozen, like someone unplugged him. I look away quickly, letting Uncle Zachary step out to deal with him and lock up.

Dad sighs, long and dramatic. “This is one of the reasons I’ve always been against you having a boyfriend.”

“You are such an old man.” Mom snickers.

Maybe this vacation is exactly what I need. A break. Space to breathe. Maybe I can finally figure out how I truly feel about everything—Dominic, Asher, myself.

I shut my eyes and decide to sleep off the rest of the journey since our lake house is in the most remote location, about four hours’ drive away.

I’m already drifting when Mom taps my shoulder urgently.

“What?” I lift my gaze, annoyed.

She glances at Dad to make sure he isn't listening in, then leans closer like she’s about to drop a bomb.

“Just a heads-up… Travis is at the lake house.”

My mouth must have widened so hard that my screams bounce inside the car, scaring me too.

"Yes."

Mom winces and shoots me a glare, pressing a finger to her lips. “Catherine, keep your voice down!”

I grab the seat in front of me like the world just tilted. “Why—why would you say it like that? Mom, why is Travis there?”

She hesitates, glancing at Dad again as if he’s the CIA and we’re sharing state secrets. “He arrived last night. His parents traveled and your father invited him over so he wouldn’t be alone.”

I blink slowly, fighting the urge to roll right out of the moving car. “Mom… you should’ve told me.”

“I knew you’d react like this.”

“Because it’s Travis, Mom.” I whisper-shout, covering half my face with my hands. “You can’t just drop something like that on me.”

She throws her hands up. “You two are best friends.”

“We were best friends,” I corrected under my breath, slumping back into my seat. “Before everything became… weird.”

Mom raises a brow. “It became weird because you made it weird.”

“No, I didn’t!” I lie instantly, heat crawling up my cheeks. “It was that stupid night and—ugh, never mind.”

She gives me one of those mother-knows-everything smirks. “You kids and your drama.”

I groan and press my forehead to the window.

Perfect. A four-hour drive followed by being trapped in the same lake house with the boy I’ve been avoiding for years.

“Catherine?” Mom whispers again.

“What?” I mutter without looking.

“Try not to scream again when you see him.”

I kick her seat lightly. “It’s all your fault.”