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CHANGE MY MIND
They were all inside as I sat Indian-style out by the pool on the long beach chair, staring across the refreshing water at nothing. Snickers sat beside me, panting and also staring ahead. It was Thursday morning and the sun was just getting high in the sky, greeting California with some heat. In my t-shirt and shorts, it all felt nice and calming after the mess of the past week.
The previous evening had ended with Carter managing to get Tripp out of the Danger Zone and away from the blondes. Tripp shouted a few choice words at Carter before the two argued up the staircase to the second floor. Getting rid of the blondes had been easier than I thought, though they were both upset due to not getting what they wanted from Tripp.
All in all, the night had been one I did not wish to do over ever again. Carter had been great, and Mick and Gavin had come back, but it was all just too much. My bags were packed and I was ready to return to the safe and normal life that awaited me at home.
Behind me the patio door slid open and closed. Instinct told me it was Tripp, sooner or later we'd have to talk and get the inevitable over with.
He came and stood beside me, dressed in a t-shirt and gray sweats. He looked tired and his coopery hair was in a glorious mess that would surely make his Trippers squeal.
I looked elsewhere, wishing to just get it over with.
"Hey." He sounded soft, nervous of how I was doing.
"I've packed all of my things and now I would like to go home. Thank you for the extended stay, but I'm ready to go now, Tripp." Sounding as detached and clipped as possible, I made my demand known.
"Clover, I'm sorry. I messed up, and I'm so sorry." He squatted down next to me, reaching out and grasping my knee.
Even if he sounded sympathetic, I wasn't the least bit in the mood to offer him pity.
I shook him off of me. "You showed me your home and we did our interview, let's just end things where they should've ended a last week."
"Chloey—"
"It's done, Tripp. Just give me my plane ticket, the stupid girl is ready to go home and be out of your way."
Tripp came and sat directly in front of me, forcing me to look at him. My words had wounded him, turning his eyes to a dull shade of gray. "I'm sorry, Clover."
Sometimes sorry wasn't good enough. I had never liked Tripp Rivers once he became who he was, or who the media portrayed him to be. After the mess of everything that happened from the beginning between us, I was just done with all things Tripp Vance Rivers.
