Never Say Never!

Chapter 3

pαlm trєєѕ, σcєαn вrєєzє!!~~~♡

That was the last box. I had not even begun to lug around some of the furniture around out to the yard. My whole body ached all over from going upstairs!!

From going down the stairs. Lugging and lifting. This was quite a work out. I let my mind stray to running over to Conner and taking him up on his offer. My pride would not allow me to do that.

My doorbell rang suddenly. I walk over to the door. I swing it open. There stands Grayson and Gabi. Gabi opens her arms up and squeals joyfully when she sees me.

I squeal then we end up hugging each other. She pulls me back to smile at me. You could tell she had a real baby bump going on her tummy. She and Grayson were having a baby. That was so crazy.

•♡•♡•♡•♡•

"You really are here? Grayson told me he saw you at the shop. I did not believe him at first! I was so sorry to hear about Rita" Gabi tells me. "You moved here? You are here to stay then?" she asks me. I nod.

"I am. I have to sell a few things that I do not want to keep. But I am in the process of making this house my home. I am here to stay" I admit to her. I let them come in.

Grayson takes a look around. "You are going to have your work cut out for you" he mentions. "This place needs a lot of TLC" he says to me.

I nod. "I know. But I am willing to do the work. I love this place. I could never allow strangers to take it"

"We came by to help with the sale today" mentions Gabi.

"Really? That is great" I sigh. "I am overwhelmed. I have not gotten everything out there yet. I can't lug the furniture around to get it out the door" I mutter.

Someone calls Grayson. "Hang on a sec. I was expecting this call" he tells us.

"So, did you run see how great Conner is these days? He really turned into a nice guy" brags Gabi.

I nod. "I see. I saw him a few times. Is he dating someone in town?" I question.

"No, he is not dating. Grayson tried hooking him up with a girl from my bakery. But Conner was never into her. You do know the real reason why Conner broke things off with you that one summer right?" she asks me.

My heart winces feeling the memories from that past summer sting. "I know yes. He did not love me" I say softly. "We really do not need to go over this again" I warn her.

"Yes, you do. Conner lied. He loved you. He was deeply in love with you. He broke things off because he never thought he would see you again. He thought that when you went back home you would move on with someone else. And he could not stand by waiting for that to happen. He thought he was doing the right thing by letting you go. He told Grayson. Along time ago Grayson admitted that to me. You have a right to know. Conner has been bending over backwards to try to get you to be friends with him. He would like to talk about what happened. And at least be your friend. But he says you have been shutting him out" rambles out Gabi.

Conner had loved me? He lied? Tears spring to my eyes to hear that. He thought I would move on past him? The truth was I never moved on after that. I never dated again. Because of Conner, I did not trust men. That must have been really hard for Conner to let me go. For him to think it was that easy for me to date someone else.

"Another thing about Conner you did not know is this. There was a girl who came to town a summer before you. Her name was Hannah. He adored her. She was not from this town. She was here for the summer. They were going to try to make things work out. Then the next summer later she did come back to town. With her boyfriend from back home. It broke his heart. So, when he learned that you were from out of town he figured the same thing was going to happen all over again. He was scared" Gabi explains to me. "Give the guy a chance. At least be friends. Don't you miss him at all?" she wonders.

I brush back tears. Poor Conner. "I do miss him" I admit softly.

"Let him be your friend. See how things go from there. I know he hurt you. He knows he messed up to. He wants to make up for all that" she says to me.

The doorbell rings again. "Hang on" I tell her.

She nods. I rush over to the door. Wilbur is barking upstairs. I have him locked up for now in my bedroom. So, he could not run out the door when I was lugging things around. I swing the door open. There stands a handsome Conner. He smiles at me. His smile makes me weak in the knees. He loved me? Or had loved me. My heart pings with sadness.

"Conner what are you doing here?" I demand to know.

"Well, Grayson called me. He said you needed an extra pair of hands around here. I can help. If you let me. Or want me to. If not, I will go" he shyly asks me.

He smiles sadly at me. I nod. "Come on in Conner" I agree at last. He grins looking pleased as he comes in the place. I shut the door behind him.

•♡•♡•♡•♡•

He had loved me. But thought I was going to hurt him? That meant that he never trusted me. I was not sure what hurt more. I was feeling mixed emotions now. I could understand where his feelings were coming from.

But to break things off with me? Dump me. Lie about his true feelings? That was really harsh of him to do. Drastic measures. Making it really hard to trust him. Yet I had missed having Conner in my life. Oh Em, what are you thinking??

"Grayson! Conner is here!" calls out Gabi. "Glad you came" Gabi greets Conner hello.

"Hi there" he says happily. Wilbur barks upstairs like crazy.

"Willy hush!" I call up to him.

"How long have you had a dog?" asks Gabi.

I smile. "I got few years ago" I tell her.

"Oh dogs! You always wanted one! Can I meet this guy?" begs Gabi.

"He ran past me the other day. He really is a cute dog" mentions Conner.

I lead them upstairs. They follow after me. Grayson comes along with us. I open my bedroom door. Wilbur comes running out. He wags his little tail then rubs on my leg as I pet him.

He has his tongue out happily letting the slobber flow freely. He sniffs Gabi next. Then checks out Conner as he sticks his hand out for Wilbur to lick. Wilbur wags his tail shyly at Conner.

•♡•♡•♡•♡•

"You had a break Willy. Come on. Back in my room" I tell my dog. I place him back in the room. He whines at the door as we head down the stairs.

"He is a very cute doggy" Gabi is saying as we get downstairs.

"Hey Em, what other stuff needs to get outside?" asks Grayson.

I glance around the room. My hands are on my hips. "I have some furniture upstairs that plan on selling. Can you move it out to the lawn?" I ask them. They all nod.

I lead the way then show them what I want to go outside for the sale. Soon people are pouring in. Parking all down the street for the estate sale. My heart flutters with pride and joy. Rita was sure loved in this town.

She really made an impact on everyone. I hoped by taking over where my aunt left off then I would. Everything was bought during the sale. I made enough money for the first real payment on the house. This house would soon be half way paid off. I had a little ways to go. I order pizza from Kelly's Pizza Place. For all the guys. I get the lemon aide that I made out. We have lunch together on the back deck patio when the pizza arrives.

"Thank you all for helping me. And Conner thanks for coming though I really tried to stop you from coming" I say as we all hold our cups up together. Then we clink the glasses together and say a hearty cheers.

"I would have come anyway. I know why you did not want me around. I understand that" says Conner. He smiles at me.

•♡•♡•♡•♡•

I smile back. We eat then chat away at the table. Almost like old times. Gabi was seated on one side of me. Then Conner and Grayson were seated across from us. The men helped polish off the rest of the pizza.

Gabi ate a lot as well. She was eating for two. Normally she used to only be able to hold down three slices. Me, well I could only eat about two maybe three tops. That pretty much filled me up. Gabi and Grayson were the first to leave.

Conner lingered here for a bit. Playing with Wilbur in the backyard while I saw Gabi and Grayson out the front door. I had a feeling we both had a lot to talk about. From our past. Not that I really was looking forward to bringing up such a hurtful time in my life. But it needed to be done. Sooner or later.

I rush back to the backyard. I place Wilbur back in the house. He was getting tuckered out. He heads to the kitchen for some water. Conner and I decide to take a walk on the beach. Then we sit down together watching the sunset. I wait for him to talk.

"I guess Gabi told you?" he begins finally as it got darker out.

I nod. "She had" I say softly. "I get why you dumped me. But that really hurt to be lied to" I admit.

"I am sorry. Letting you go was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I never wanted to hurt you like that. I was hurting. I was not wanting to bring my past up to you" he begins to say. "Now that you will be staying, I wanted to hash things out in the open. Maybe even well, be friends again" he offers. "I know we can never get back to where we once were. But I do miss you. I often thought about you all the time"

My heart skips a little beat hearing he missed me. "I miss our friendship to. All the long talks. The good times we had together. I knew that day you were lying to me. I thought you had loved me. We can try to be friends. But Conner if we are being honest here, you need to know this. I do not think I can ever trust you again. You really hurt me" I admit softly.

Silence hangs between us.

"I know. I know I had. I will regret that everyday. But I am glad you are willing to let me back in your life once more. I won't blow it" he vows.

"Welcome back Conner" I tease. He grins.

"It is getting late. We better head back" he says as we watch the ocean as the moon dances on it.

He gets up. Then he holds out his hands for me to get up. He helps me off the ground. A jolt of electricity shoots from his hands to mine. I get up then quickly retreat my hands away from his. He looks longingly into my eyes. My gaze falls to his lips. Wondering how it would feel to have those lips on mine once more.

"We better get going" I agree.

Then we walk back to my place. I let Conner back in my world. What was I thinking??

Maybe I wasn't.

I was letting my heart do all the thinking.

And that could lead to danger. If I let it.

•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•♡•