“Please,” I pleaded. “I needed you and you shouldn’t have made those decisions for me. But I can’t talk about this. Just go.”
I had turned away because I couldn’t look at him when I begged him to leave, but when he spoke again, I made the mistake of peering into his handsome face.
A face filled with tears that mirrored mine.
And itcrushedme.
Then his expression changed. It was fierce and his jaw was set stubbornly. “I understand, but this isn’t over, Cupcake. It can’t be. I have to fix it and I will.” He started out the door and then turned around. “I’ll see you at four-thirty. Lock the door and call me if you need to.”
Then he disappeared to his vehicle but didn’t leave until he saw me shut the door.
When I was safely locked inside, I sank to my butt, resting my back against the wood. Then I let the rest of the tears flow. I needed to get them all out and then take care of my daughter.
I glanced down at my hands, still tingling from his touch, and blew out a pain-filled breath. The effect he had on me after all these years was insane.
Bronson’s words came back to me. The boy that I had fallen in love with had felt something for me other than friendship too.
But he didn’t believe inmeenough to tell me back then. Bronson didn’t believe inus.
Sure, we were so young, but we had deserved a chance. I had at least deserved the truth. And achoice.
He wanted to fix things. I didn’t know if they were fixable, but a piece of me wished they could be.
There I was in another tug-of-war battle. But at the last moment the other side had won.
Old feelings: one. Hurt feelings: one.
The question was, which did I want to win?
My old feelings for Bronson that still simmered or the hurt feelings so I could protect the maimed heart he’d ripped open and broken before?
Whatever happened, it wouldn’t be just me I had to think about.
It would always be what was best for Stormi first.
Chapter Six
BRONSON
Leavingthe night before was the last thing I’d wanted to do.
Lake’s temper was something else. It was magnificent to witness the fire inside her. While I didn’t like her anger directed at me, I still couldn’t contain the flare of excitement that burned its way through my body, causing emotions to stir inside me.
She had always been tough and stood up for what she believed in. If someone needed help, she was there. And if she ever had trouble, I’d been there to back her up.
Then I let her down and abandoned her.
It was my biggest regret and the worst mistake I’d ever made.
Back then, I kept telling myself we were too young. Even though when we kissed I felt more than I’d ever imagined. It had scared the shit out of me and I’d run from my feelings and my best friend. Looking at her now, I knew I’d been a dipshit.
When I stood there at her door, laying my feelings at her feet hoping she would understand, the tears that streamed down her face were one of the hardest things to witness.
Seeing Lake cry when we were growing up had always been my undoing.
Clearly nothing had changed.
Lake could still shred me with every fallen tear.
