Reminders of Him

by Colleen Hoover

Roman shoves his hands in his pockets. I watch his face, looking for the judgment. “How long ago was this?” he asks. “It’s been a few hours.” “You aren’t worried about her?” “Who? Diem?” He shakes his head with a small laugh, like I’m not following. “I’m talking about Kenna. Does she have family here? Friends? Or did you drop her off alone after telling her to fuck off?” I stand up and brush the back of my jeans. I know what he’s getting at, but it’s not my problem. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. “Maybe you should go check on her,” he suggests. “I’m not going to check on her.” Roman looks disappointed. “You’re better than this.” I can feel my pulse hammering in my throat. I don’t know if I’m more pissed at him or at Kenna right now. Roman takes a step closer. “She’s responsible for the accidental death of someone she was in love with. As if that wasn’t hard enough, she went to prison for it and was forced to give up her own child. She finally shows back up hoping to meet her, and you do God knows what with her in your truck, and then you prevent her from meeting her daughter, and then you tell her to fuck off. No wonder you’ve been slamming shit around all night.” He walks back up the steps, but before he goes inside, he turns to me and says, “You’re the reason I’m not dead in a ditch somewhere, Ledger. You gave me a chance when everyone else gave up on me. You have no idea how much I look up to you for that. But it’s really hard to look up to you right now. Y...