Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 54383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“Scarlett, I wasn’t born yesterday.”
“You said it yourself. Tully overdid it on the tequila.”
“That wasn’t a drunken kiss.” He looks into my eyes. “That was an ‘I want you to fuck me’ kiss and it didn’t end for a long ass time.”
Silence.
“As much as I hate your sister, what you’re doing is dead-ass wrong, so I’ll give you three options,” he says. “One, you promise to never do that again and I’ll take your secret to the grave with me. Two, you tell Tully and apologize, or—”
“I love him.” I interrupt. “I’ve loved him long before they were a thing and the only reason I dated college guys was to keep my mind off him, to try to move on from him, but I can’t…”
His jaw practically unhinges and hits the floor.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know how to.” I let out a breath, grateful that someone else finally knows. “I’ll tell you now, though. Please let me tell you now…”
Hours later, we’re sitting on the floor, our backs pressed against the tile as the pool waters slosh in front of us.
Kevin has been silent the entire time I bared my soul. Never interrupting, only finding new ways to look shocked and confused.
The bell rings for the final period of the day, but neither of us makes a move to go to class.
Students rush in, clad in their swim gear.
Easton walks by us and stops.
“Hey Kevin and Scarlett,” he says.
“Hey.” “Hi.”
“Will you tell your sister that I’ll be over later? I have a meeting after practice.”
“Sure thing.”
He walks away and Kevin shakes his head.
“Wow,” he says. “You two are ver impressive. I would’ve never read into that ‘meeting’ until now.”
“He’s not talking about me, Kevin.” I lean against his shoulder. “He really does have a meeting with his coach.”
“That’s exactly what you want me to think, isn’t it?”
“It’s the truth.”
“The truth you want me to believe…” He smiles, but it quickly fades from his lips. “You know that this situation is going to end horribly for you, right?”
“No,” I say. “It just won’t be a typical ‘happily ever after,’ that’s all.”
“You’ll be lucky to get a ‘happy for now’ ending, Scarlett,” he says. “These type of things always end in utter tragedy.”
“I can think of plenty of similar situations where everything worked out.”
“Give me one.”
“I…” I have nothing.
He has a point.
19
EASTON
“Okay, here’s an easy hypothetical question,” I say to Scarlett over the phone. “If the love of your life gets severely injured and the doctors say he won’t live for much longer, what do you do?
“I want to answer a less morbid question.”
“A,” I continue anyway, “Stay by his side until he dies, and never love another. B. Tell him goodbye and move on with your life. C. Spend time looking for doctors who can give you a second opinion and save his life.”
“B,” she says.
“Why?”
“Because I can still have option A.” She laughs. “I’ll tell him goodbye but still stay by his side, and I’ll be forced to move on, but I’ll never love another.”
“You’re really bad at these, Scarlett.”
“I’m better than I was last year.” She’s still laughing. “Why did you rush to leave my room just to call me an hour later?”
“My dad called,” I say.
“Same issue as usual?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
“Your sister said something about me needing to come over earlier than usual this morning, so I’ll see you soon.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
I end the call and step out of my car.
My Dad is stumbling out of an all-day coffee shop, and I can smell the stench of alcohol on him from here.
He moves toward the driver’s side and motions for me to throw him the car keys.
“No, thanks.” I roll my eyes. “You can’t call me to come get you and drive my car. Get on the passenger side.”
“I bought you this damn car, son. Give me the keys.”
“How much have you had to drink today?”
“Nothing. I’ve told you that I’m drinking Listerine in between my coffee fixes. They make it stronger than usual these days, that’s all.” He’s still holding out his hand for the keys.
“I’m as sober as a judge,” he says. “Give me one of those weird word problem things you’re always doing and see.”
“Okay, Dad. If mom was really loyal, just like you’re really sober, you can drive.”
His face falls and he drops his hand.
“I thought so.”
He moves to the passenger side and gets into the car.
We ride back home without another word.
There’s a long red carpet in the front yard when I pull into the Cranes’ driveway later that morning.
There’s also a cream blue Mustang.
Confused, I walk around it and admire the leather interior before heading up the porch.
Before I can knock on the door, Tully opens it and drags me inside.
“Oh my god, it took you long enough!” She tugs me into the kitchen and picks up a wardrobe bag. “Here. Hurry up and change into this.”