Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“I can’t do any of that, Monroe!” I laugh as well.
“Just be you, Emerson. He wants you. He’s admitted as much. He’s going to crack. You just have to be patient.”
“I know. There’s a part of me that wants to wait for him forever. Then there’s another part that says I deserve better. That I shouldn’t just be ready and willing when he finally pulls his head out of his ass.”
“Maybe so. You’re the only one who can decide that. I think you owe it to yourself to give this a little time. The two of you shared a hot moment, and then you left to go back to school. It’s only been a few weeks since you’ve been home. Rome wasn’t built in a day.” She winks.
“No, he was not.”
“That’s not what I meant, but it does fit.”
I think about what she said, and I know she’s right. I need to give this time. “I’ll give it the summer,” I tell her. “If he’s not on board with whatever this is between us by then, I’ll know it’s time for me to move on.”
“Maybe moving on is what needs to happen for him to see what he’s losing?”
“Possibly. I guess if he’s not over this ‘we can’t be together’ nonsense by the time we head back to school, we’ll find out.”
“Come on, let’s take a swim.”
I nod my agreement, and we make our way to the pool.
“What about you? I know you were talking to Henry. Have the two of you caught up since we’ve been home for the summer?”
“Nah, he was in it for the sex. Which I didn’t give him. It’s his loss.” She shrugs.
“You deserve better,” I tell her.
“So do you.” She gives me a pointed look.
“I know I do. I’m not going to wait for him forever. He’s either going to decide I’m worth the risk, or I’m not. It’s going to hurt because he’s been my crush for years, but I don’t want to play this game. Not with him. Not with anyone.”
“Whatever happens, I’ll be here.”
“Same,” I tell her.
We spend the rest of the night talking about anything and everything. We both want to move home once we graduate, so we’ve been tossing around the idea of getting an apartment together here in Ashby. I want to be close to my brother and even the guys. No matter what does or doesn’t happen with Roman, he’s still always been a huge part of my life. I don’t want that to change.
Monroe wants to stay around Ashby too. She’s close with her parents and her grandma, and she knows that time isn’t promised and wants to be near them. So we make plans for our future. In the back of my mind, there’s this hope that my path will change and include Roman, but if not, that’s okay. I’ll be okay.
Time heals broken hearts. At least that’s the saying, and I send up a silent prayer that it’s the truth.
Chapter
Seven
Roman
* * *
“What’s been going on with you lately?” Forrest asks.
We’re sitting on his back deck, watching Monroe, Emerson, Lachlan, and Maddox play a game of chicken in the pool. Legend is floating on an inner tube that looks like a donut, being the referee. At least he’s supposed to be. I think he’s asleep.
“What do you mean?” I keep my eyes on the pool. Thankfully, I’m still wearing sunglasses to hide who is holding my attention. The sun is starting to set, so that won’t be the case much longer.
“You’ve been quiet, not going out as much.”
I knew this conversation was coming with one, if not all, my friends. “Just not feeling it.” I can’t exactly tell him I jacked off while I watched his little sister getting herself off at the same time, and now she’s all I can think about. I need to find a way to let this obsession with her go.
Okay, so I’m not obsessed with her in the literal sense, but she is all that I think about and dream about, and yeah, I’ve not been going out because I have no interest to. Not if Emerson isn’t going to be there. I’m very aware I’m crossing the best friend no-go zone, but at least I haven’t taken things too far.
“Dry spell.” He nods as if he knows the feeling.
“You’ve been staying in a lot lately too.” It’s a weak attempt to take the heat off me.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “When Em is home, I try to. She’s going to be leaving to go back to school at the end of the summer. Fuck, that’s just mere weeks away, and I want to spend time with her.” He releases a heavy sigh. “Our parents haven’t even reached out to her. To either of us. We haven’t seen or spoken to them since the day I picked her up to move her in with me. I’m all she has, and I want her to feel loved and wanted.”