Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
I’m doing the right thing protecting us both. If my heart is breaking like this after one night with him, how would I feel after months of waking up feeling cherished to know that I have no job prospects and have to leave? I don’t really have a home. I never have. It was reckless to pretend that I found that in Rushton, even for one night.
I was lying to myself.
We weren’t pretending.
We were falling.
I was falling.
I broke my own rules.
I fell in love with Rushton Kincaid.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Rushton
My shoes feel as though they’re filled with lead as I walk across her lawn to the twins’ place. I stomp up the steps and rap my knuckles against the front door. My chest feels heavy, and my mind is screaming for me to go back to her. I never want her to think that I’m walking out on her. She asked me to leave.
Twice.
I was yelling, and my anger got the best of me. She deserves better than that. Hell, I’m better than that. I wasn’t lying when I told her last night changed me. I never understood it before now. I knew my brothers, and hell, even my dad, said that when you know, you know. It’s not that I didn’t believe them, but until you live it, it’s not something you can comprehend.
Now I know.
The door pulls open and Maverick stares at me in confusion. “Where’s your shirt?”
I look down. I didn’t even remember I wasn’t wearing one. “Crosby.” He nods as if just saying her name is a good enough answer for him.
“Why are you standing on our front porch if your girl is next door with your shirt?”
“Are you going to let me in or not?”
He steps back, letting me pass.
“Hey, where’s Crosby?” Merrick asks.
“At her place.”
“With your shirt, I’m guessing?” He laughs.
“Something like that. Can one of you take me to Declan’s to get my truck?”
“What’s wrong?” Maverick immediately sobers.
“Nothing. I just need to get to my truck.”
“No.” Merrick shakes his head. “He’s right. Something’s off.”
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
“Bullshit,” they chorus. Sometimes that freaky twin shit still takes me by surprise.
“She’s got a lot going on today.”
“Try again,” Merrick tells me.
“Can you please just take me to my truck?”
“Not until you tell us what happened.”
“Whatever,” I mutter. Reaching into my pocket, I grab my cell and dial Ryder’s number.
“What’s up?” he answers.
“I’m at the twins’ place. Can you pick me up and take me to get my truck at Declan’s?”
“Why can they not take you?”
“Can you do it or not?” I ask him.
“We’ve got it!” Maverick calls out.
“You good?” Ryder asks.
I think about his question. “No.” If anyone understands what I’m going through, it will be Ryder. The woman he loves up and left the country without telling him she was leaving. He’s still fighting for her, even with her living thousands of miles away.
“I’m on my way.”
“Thanks.” I slip my phone back into my pocket, turn around, and walk out the door. I settle on the top step and wait for Ryder to get here to pick me up.
The door creaks open, and two sets of footsteps sound behind me. Before I know it, I have a brother sitting on either side of me. They both put a hand on my shoulder, and I hate the emotion that swells inside me.
This time they don’t try to talk to me. They don’t ask me why I’m being an asshole. They don’t ask me why I can’t walk next door and get my shirt. They don’t question why the woman who I spent the night with can’t take me to pick up my truck. No, my loud, boisterous baby brothers sit next to me in silence and allow me to lose myself in my thoughts.
When Ryder pulls up, he doesn’t bother getting out of his truck. He just sits in the driveway, letting the engine idle. I stand, descend the remaining steps, then turn to face Maverick and Merrick. “I’m sorry for being a dick.”
“We’re here.” Merrick nods.
“Whatever it is, we’ll get you through it,” Maverick assures me.
I nod to them and make my way to the passenger side of Ryder’s truck. I realize that my baby brothers are growing up. Life is moving forward, but for me, I feel as though I’m suspended in time. My world stopped spinning this morning, and I know it will feel like that until she’s mine.
Until she admits that she’s mine.
“Your truck is at Dec’s, right?” Ryder asks.
“Yeah. Left it there last night.”
“How did you get here?”
“Merrick.”
He nods and doesn’t ask for more than that. We drive to Declan’s in silence. I open my mouth to tell him what happened on three separate occasions, but all three times, I clamp my mouth shut and decide against it. Not because I don’t want to tell him. I really think Ryder, if anyone, will understand, but I’m not ready to unpack it. I’m still reeling from everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours. How can I tell him when I don’t have my head wrapped around it?