Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20424 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20424 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Daisy glares at me.
“She tried to throw herself at me and I side stepped her and she landed in a giant pile of hay. I left her there and walked out. I mean, come on, Daisy. It was the night after I told you I’d wait.”
She covers her face with her hands. I pull them back down, wanting to see her. “No more hiding.”
“You really haven’t been with anyone?”
“I’ve never broken a promise to you in my entire life.”
She starts to cry. I pull her into me, holding her.
“I should have known. I was so upset.” She sniffles. I’m pretty sure she wipes her nose on my shirt. She pulls back to look at me. “But Josh was the one who told me you were in the barn with her. That I shouldn’t have snuck in your room and I had to let this fantasy of us getting married go. Because you were leaving soon.”
I’m going to kill him. He may be my best friend and like a brother to me, but I’m still going to murder him. He’s known this whole fucking time that Daisy thought I cheated on her? Not only that he effed it up. I clench my fist.
“He’s full of shit. Josh and I did every fucking thing together. Through high school and college. He knows I’ve never been with anyone.”
“I don’t understand why he did that. And why after all this time he wouldn’t come clean about it.”
“But you believe me?” She nods her head. I lift Daisy up, setting her down on the sofa next to me before I stand, heading straight for the spare room.
“Eric wait!”
I slam the door open, flipping on the light. The bed is empty. We both turn to look at Noelle’s door. Well, fuck me. This was unexpected.
“Let me. She could be naked or something.” Her face scrunches up thinking about her brother and Noelle getting it on. I don’t think she cares; I think she just doesn’t want to think about her brother having sex.
She turns the knob, opening the door. The light from the bathroom in Noelle’s room lights up the bed. She sits up, holding the sheet to her chest.
“Get dressed,” I order before slamming the door. I grab Daisy's hand, pulling her back toward the living room.
“I mean. How did I not see this coming? Did you know?”
“Don’t pay much attention to Josh’s sex life.”
“What does that mean?” Her voice drops. “Was he a manwhore in college?”
“I’ve never seen him with anyone else.” I hear the door open and Josh heads down the hallway with Noelle right behind him.
“Are you guys seriously mad I’m with Noelle?” He looks pissed. Good. I’m fucking livid.
“You lied to Daisy.” Josh’s face drops. He knows exactly what I’m talking about.
“It was stupid. I shouldn’t have done it. I thought it would be better for both of you. That you could come back together later. I didn’t want you two living the way that I was.” He glances over at Noelle, who still looks confused by everything that’s going on.
“Is someone going to explain to me what the heck happened? Have you been crying?” Noelle scowls at me as though I’m the cause of Daisy’s tears.
“She barely talked to me for years. For fucking years, I wondered every night and day what I had done to make her hate me. How I managed to lose the most important person in my life.” I take a step closer to Josh, the anger building in me the more I think about the time I’ve lost with Daisy.
“I’m sorry. I—" I sucker punch him in the stomach. The only reason I don’t hit him in the face is that I don’t want blood on Daisy’s new carpet.
Both the girls gasp as Josh leans forward trying to catch his breath. I stand there waiting because I am far from done. Finally he stands all the way back up back again. I hit him again.
“Eric.” Daisy pulls at my arm. I look down at her. “I’m pissed too but this isn’t getting us anywhere.”
I look back to Josh, who is once again standing there waiting for another blow. He’s not going to fight back. I can see it in his face. The regret is written all over it. Josh always thinks he’s doing the right thing. Normally he is. But not this time.
“Let's go to bed.” Daisy pulls at my arm. “Take me to bed.” She pulls me with her. Noelle steps out of the way as Daisy leads us down the hallway.
As fucked up as all this was, it feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest. I’ll be pissed later. Daisy is leading me to her room, and I won’t waste another moment of our time together.
6
Daisy
“You okay?” I turn around as Eric shuts the bedroom door.