"That was the truth. Daisy, I have told you the truth as many times as I could. I promise."
"Why lie to me at all?"
"It's complicated."
She crosses her arms. "Make it make sense."
I don't want to make it make sense. I want to grab her, hold her, kiss her until our lips bruise. Because even with her looking at me like she'd take a machete to me if one were available, I feel the biggest sense of relief at having this weight lifted from my chest. I was so fucking sick of carrying that lie around, but I didn't realize just how much until I put it down.
"I didn't want to bring chaos into your life. I wanted to slip into town, deal with my house, and be on my way. I thought it would be easier for you if I left you alone."
"Oh, so you were being altruistic."
"Not so much. I've been in excruciating pain since the moment I showed up and saw you teetering across the grass at Summerhill."
"So much for leaving me alone."
"Have you noticed how often we're thrust together? I had ideas to avoid you. Plans! Hugo told me you?—"
"Hugo." His name is a snarl. "I'll be having a conversation with him."
Did I sign my best friend's death warrant just now? It's looking likeyes.
"For what it's worth, he advised against it. Told me I was a dumbass."
"All this time," Daisy murmurs, shaking her head. "Hugo knew it was you, but I was walking around like an idiot, trying to understand why you felt familiar. Why I was drawn to you. The way I immediately felt comfortable around you confused me, but I brushed it off because some people click in that inexplicable way."
I get up from the couch and start for her, but she sticks her hands out, stopping me. "Don't touch me."
I stay put, and say, "I was drawn to you, too, from that first night. I was on my way to Summerhill because I arrived in town ahead of schedule and I wanted a place to hide out until it was dark and I'd be less likely to run into you. Little did I know I was heading straight for you."
Daisy shakes her head, and her messy topknot tips precariously one way, then the other. "I don't know what to say Pet—" She sends me a death glare. "Penn. I need space." She fans her face. "I'm hot. I need air."
"We can go sit out on the back porch."
"No." She shakes her head. "I want to be alone. I'm going to go."
"Let me walk you to your car."
"Optics."
"If anybody sees you leave at this time in the early morning, optics are the least of your problems." Which reminds me. "You and Duke have an agreement?"
"Now is not the time. We"—she motions between us—"are not chatting, I'm not confiding. You did a bad thing, and you're spinning it like you did it for a good reason, and I'm really fucking confused right now. I need time to process this. And I'm also going to figure out something creative to get Hugo back for being your accomplice."
"He was unwilling."
"And yet."
I walk her as far as I can, which turns out to be the front door. "Daisy, you have every right to be furious with me. But please know I've been struggling with keeping this from you. And—" I hesitate, looking for signs she'll be receptive to what I'm about to say. There's a fifty/fifty chance she'll haul off and kick me in the balls. "The plan has been for me to be here long enough to figure out my house, and admittedly, my time back in town has been lengthened by this play I was coerced into participating in."
"You barely protested."
"I was basically held at gunpoint."
"Pshh."
"Agree to disagree. The point is, I don't know how much longer I'll be in Olive Township." Internally, I wince at the words. Now that she knows who I am, I want to stay here forever. Except that would mean I'd see Daisy become Mrs. Hampton, and that's not something I can subject myself to. Not after getting to know Daisy as a woman, the fantastic person she is now. If I can't have her, I won't stay and watch her be somebody else's. "I propose we hash it out, you let me have it at a volume that doesn't wake the neighbors, and we figure out how to move forward as friends."
