I Do... Not Want My Boyfriend

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

--Elspeth--

I collapsed against my door as I thought about today’s events. Riven was joining the army and that meant we could never be together even if I wanted to get back together—which I didn’t. He also lied to me about his volunteering at the church, who knew if he even volunteered at the soup kitchen, but I had no interest in learning. I was done with my scope of Riven, he was out of the picture for good.

The papers in my hand sealed the deal as I had full custody over cute little Missy. Speaking of my baby, where was she? I looked around my apartment and couldn’t hear her meows or padded feat anywhere.

A knock sounded on the door a moment into my panic. I stood up from the ground and opened the door only to be faced with Clay who was holding Missy in his arms.

I gasped as I reached for my baby. “Missy! Did you kidnap her?” I interrogated as she climbed into my arms.

She was cranky though as she wanted to go right to ground once she was with me. Jeez, she must be tired. I understand the feeling, being with Clay for more than a couple of hours made one feeling as if they were running a marathon.

Clay chuckled as he stepped into my apartment. “No, well yes, I guess I did. But she was here all alone so I figured I would kidnap her and keep her company.”

I nodded, my anger flying away at his charming smile. “So what have you been doing all day? Playing with my kidnapped kitten?”

“Mostly but then my parents had movers pack all my things and bring it all here in one big truck.” Clay said with a hint of a smile on his lips.

Apart from his half-smile, my smile dropped along with my jaw. His parents did what? “Whoa, whoa, whoa, how did this happen? They kicked you out?”

Clay nodded.

A lump formed in my throat as I figured out exactly why they had done what they did. “Is it because of me? It’s because of me isn’t it?” I asked him, my eyes welling with tears.

He shook his head and came closer, Missy meowed from far away. She probably wanted us to separate. Clay brought his hand up to cup my cheek and my breath halted in my chest. He was touching me again.

“It wasn’t you. It was me, but they don’t matter anymore.” Clay reasoned.

I nodded, trying to believe his words, but his parents would always be a part of his life and I was always going to be the piece that didn’t fit in their own eyes. The person who inevitably severed the bond between him and his parents, and I didn’t want to be that person. I closed my eyes as Clay brought me closer and folded me into a warm embrace. This was nice, seeing this other side of Clay where he wasn’t always antagonizing me. I smiled.

“I’m taking Thatcher’s offer. I’m going to work for him.”

My smile dropped once again, but after hearing about his parents kicking out all his stuff, it only makes sense. He’ll need a new source of income.

I nodded. “I understand.”

Suddenly I remembered our exchange this morning and I broke away from Clay, still embarrassed. My cheeks were tinged pink and it seemed like Clay might have been thinking about the same thing because he had a teasing smile on his face.

“So what have you been doing all day?” he asked.

I shrugged; I really didn’t want to tell him about my adventure. “Hanging around, I’ve been here and there; I haven’t been any distinct place really.”