BooksBarbecue
Back Only With You
Chapters (68)
  1. Copyright Page
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Five
  13. Chapter Six
  14. Chapter Six
  15. Chapter Seven
  16. Chapter Seven
  17. Chapter Eight
  18. Chapter Eight
  19. Chapter Nine
  20. Chapter Nine
  21. Chapter Ten
  22. Chapter Ten
  23. Chapter Eleven
  24. Chapter Eleven
  25. Chapter Twelve
  26. Chapter Twelve
  27. Chapter Thirteen
  28. Chapter Thirteen
  29. Chapter Fourteen
  30. Chapter Fourteen
  31. Chapter Fifteen
  32. Chapter Fifteen
  33. Chapter Sixteen
  34. Chapter Sixteen
  35. Chapter Seventeen
  36. Chapter Seventeen
  37. Chapter Eighteen
  38. Chapter Eighteen
  39. Chapter Nineteen
  40. Chapter Nineteen
  41. Chapter Twenty
  42. Chapter Twenty
  43. Chapter Twenty-One
  44. Chapter Twenty-One
  45. Chapter Twenty-Two
  46. Chapter Twenty-Two
  47. Chapter Twenty-Three
  48. Chapter Twenty-Three
  49. Chapter Twenty-Four
  50. Chapter Twenty-Four
  51. Chapter Twenty-Five
  52. Chapter Twenty-Five
  53. Chapter Twenty-Six
  54. Chapter Twenty-Six
  55. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  56. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  57. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  58. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  59. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  60. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  61. Chapter Thirty
  62. Chapter Thirty
  63. Chapter Thirty-One
  64. Chapter Thirty-One
  65. Chapter Thirty-Two
  66. Chapter Thirty-Two
  67. Epilogue
  68. Epilogue

I was ashamed that I was allowing my insecurities to overpower me.

I ran a successful business, and I’d overcome many adversities in my life. My self-esteem was at a healthy level most of the time. Right now, though? My mind was a dangerous place. I knew that, but I couldn’t help that it worked a certain way.

I worried myself sick, wondering if my meddling nature had pushed away the man I loved; if I had suffocated his feelings for me.

Chapter Thirty-Two

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Chapter Thirty-Two

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Carter

I landed at LAX at 3:00 a.m. The girls were with my parents until the end of the week, which meant Val and I would have four full days for ourselves once she was back. I’d missed her so much. I’d wanted to share everything with her: a joke Peyton made, a cake I thought she would like.

I’d barely restrained myself from texting her continuously so she could relax properly. She’d sent me a few pictures of the vineyard and the hotel, and I was glad she was enjoying herself. She deserved it.

And once she got back, I’d have her all to myself.

At my apartment, I went directly to the bedroom, planning to sleep right away. But I stopped in the doorway, taking in the room. Something was off. I glanced around. The apartment was far too orderly. Val liked to leave her things all around, which didn’t bother me. The girls did the same. It made the place look lived in. Had she tidied up before leaving? Or had the cleaning company been in here in the meantime?

But they never moved the clothes, unless they were on the floor, and then they placed everything on the bed. No, this must have been Val’s doing.

I looked inside the dresser. None of her clothes were there. Had she needed all her things on the trip? Unlikely. Val had brought enough clothes here for three people. My pulse sped up when I checked the bathroom. She’d had what had seemed like a million bottles of all shapes and sizes spread everywhere, and now they were all gone. I popped open the top button of my shirt, suddenly feeling as if I couldn’t breathe right.

Why had she taken everything? She couldn’t possibly need them all on her trip.

An impossible thought wiggled its way into my mind as fear clawed at my gut. Had she left me?

I gripped the bathroom sink with both hands until my knuckles went white.

That couldn’t be right. We’d spoken every day. Our conversations had been short, and Val had talked longer to the girls than to me, but I hadn’t thought much of it. Should I have?