Hayden was three years older than me and the only person I told my secrets to. Well, she was now that Flash was out of my life. We’d always been close and if it hadn’t been for her, I’m pretty sure I would have gone crazy.
“But maybe, you know, now that six years have gone by, you could perhaps forgive him and move on?” she hedged.
“Ihaveforgiven him.”
“I thought you said there was nothing for you to forgive?” my sister challenged.
I let out a frustrated squeak. “Fine, Hayden. You win. He broke my heart, but since he doesn’t even know I’m in love... I mean,wasin love with him, I can’t very well blame him for something with which he had no knowledge.”
“Okay, Tate Burke, Esquire, I believe the lady doth protest too much.”
“It’s irrational!” I complained. “He technically didn’t do anything wrong, but I will never get that image out of my mind.”
“Then just tell him what happened, honey. He’ll probably fall at your feet and beg for forgiveness, and you’ll start back up where you left off.”
I shook my head. “It’s too late. It’s better this way. Clean break.”
“Why is it a clean break? Don’t you miss your friend?”
“Of course I miss my friend, but I’m also stupidly in love with him and seeing him brought all that back. He’s someone I could never have, so it’s better not to torture myself with starting back up where we left off. He’s a biker now. He’s probably fucking his way through life and I will never be able to compete.”
“Okay, sissy, whatever. I just want to go on record...again... that I think you’re making yet another mistake when it comes to Flash Wallace.”
“Noted.”
A knock at my door brought my mother with a grin. “Dinner’s ready. Daddy’s just washing up. Ronan’s going to be here in about ten minutes.”
“Where’s Theo?” I asked.
“Game meeting.”
Our younger brother, Theo, was a senior in high school and the total cock of the walk at Skyview High School. He was quarterback and dating a cheerleader. I forgot her name, mostly because, she was the fifth he’d ‘dated’ in the last two months.
Our oldest brother, Ronan, had moved out about five years ago, but wasn’t far away. He was almost thirty and often showed up conveniently around dinner time.
“We’ll be right down,” Hayden said.
“Okay.”
Mom left us and my sister pulled me in for a hug. “I got your back, even if you’re being an idiot.”
I snorted. “Thanks... I think.”
We made our way downstairs and joined our parents for dinner.
