I turn to leave, but his hands catch my shoulders, holding me in place. His grip is firm, grounding, and my body betrays me with an involuntary shiver. His hazel eyes lock onto mine, raw and desperate.
God, I hate how much I missed him and his stupidly beautiful face, his stupid lips, and his stupid freckles.
“I’m sorry, Hunter,” he says, voice wavering. “I was an asshole.”
“Was?” I bite back.
He grimaces. “Iaman asshole.”
“You are. You ruined my goddamn summer. You used me and threw me away.”
He shakes his head. “I didn’t want to hurt you—”
“It’s fine.” My laugh is sharp and bitter. “It was just sex, wasn’t it? You got what you wanted—another notch on your bedpost. Now you can move on.”
His eyes soften. “It was never just sex, Hunt.”
“Right,” I scoff.
He lets out a shaky breath. “You have to know how much I care about you. You felt it too. I know you did.”
My voice rises, sharp against the quiet night. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to show up with flowers like I’m supposed to forget the way you tossed me aside.”
He reaches for my face, but I flinch back and slap his wrist away. A flash of anguish ripples in his eyes.
Good. I want him to hurt the way he hurt me.
“I’m going to re-enroll here next year,” he says quietly.
My brain stalls. “What?”
“I’m finishing my degree.”
My fists curl so tight my nails bite into my palms. “What about Maddie?”
“We came to an agreement with Stephen.” His throat works as he swallows. “After… after Mom’s gone, Maddie’s going to live with him. It’s what she wants.”
I study his face. “And you’re… okay with that?”
He bites his lip, eyes glimmering with something fragile. “I trust her judgment. I’m tired of carrying everything on my own, pretending I don’t need help. And for once in my life, I just want to choose myself.”
His hand lifts again, slow with caution. This time, I let his warm fingers brush my cheek.
“I want to chooseus, Hunter.”
I let out a shaky breath. “I’m still mad at you.”
“I know.”
“You really hurt me, Mason.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” His voice cracks just slightly, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. “Please… let me make it up to you.”
My eyes flick to his lips before I can stop myself. I quickly look away, but he catches my chin gently, coaxing me to meet his gaze again.
“Hunter,” he murmurs, voice rough with something unsteady. “You know how the lake looks calm on the surface, even whenthere’s a current underneath? That’s how I’ve felt for years—keeping it together, pretending I’m fine, even when I was on the brink of drowning.” He swallows hard. “And then you came along this summer and gave me something to swim toward. Something worth wanting again.”
His hand slips to the back of my neck, fingers threading gently through my hair. Pain pricks my throat, sharp and tight, as I fight the sting in my eyes.
