“My fear isn’t that he’ll believe the lies; it’s that . . . He’s private, and everyone in this town knows everyone’s business. I don’t think he’ll understand why I would even subject myself to all the rigmarole. I don’t want anyone’s pity. Oh my God, how could I have been so stupid? Why didn’t I realize this before?”
“Lakelyn.”
“No, I didn’t realize it until I said it aloud. Hearing the words. My fear. I was foolish to think I could just escape the circus. I broke the one rule I had, which was to stay hidden. Boden doesn’t deserve to have his life analyzed under a microscope just because I went on some TV show.”
“Doesn’t he get a say?”
“I should have never put him in this position, to begin with. It was naive of me.”
“Hey, hey, hey, no spiraling, okay.”
“It’s too late for that.” I pushed my feet to the floor and got out of bed. Feeling overwhelmingly antsy, like a switch had been flipped. “I have to go.”
“No, Lakelyn, wait,” she pleaded. “Talk to me, please, don’t isolate yourself. We—”
“I’ll call you later, I promise, but right now, I just want to be alone with my thoughts, process them, and think about my next steps.”
“All right, but don’t run, Lakelyn. Give him a chance to hear your side of the story, and promise you’ll reach out to us if you need anything.”
“I will.”
“Love you.”
“Thank you, and I love you too.”
I ended the call, and my feet carried me to the front of the house, only to find that Boden’s beast of a truck was still missing from the driveway. With a heavy exhale, my shoulders rolled forward in defeat, and my head hung low. Sadness and guilt washed over me until I couldn’t breathe. Panic had me rocking on my heels with my arms wrapped around my waist until I dropped to the floor and lay sprawled out on my back, drowning in humiliation.
As I stared at the ceiling, I was aware enough to know my logical self was at a crossroads with my fears, but that wasn’t enough to settle my nerves. Why wouldn’t Tyler just drop his antics and leave me alone? What else did I have to lose until society had considered my debt paid?
Sadly, I knew the world had become a place where cancel culture was trendy, and hiding behind a screen and hurling insults was second nature.
I wished I was important enough to be canceled because maybe then the attention would go away. “Ahhh,” I screamed and pounded the floor with my fists. “Just leave me the F alone already.”
Chapter26
Boden
“My, my, my, fancy running into you here.”
I turned toward the voice that always made me smile, knowing it belonged to none other than my two childhood best friends’ mom.
“Mrs. Fisher, it’s been a while. You are looking as beautiful as ever.” I wrapped her petite frame in a comforting hug, one that was always a balm for my soul. Her calming and loving disposition always reminded me of my mom.
“Oh, Boden, you are making this old lady blush.”
“You know I only speak the truth.”
“That I do. You’re one of the good ones. Now, enough with the flattery; what am I hearing about you being sweet on a certain new tenant of yours? One who I’m yet to have seen anywhere around town.”
“Why, Mrs. Fisher, I didn’t think you subscribed to the town gossip ring.”
“You know there’s no need to be so formal with me and pishposh,” she waved, “this particular news came from Jameson.”
I shook my head, unsurprised. He probably took pride in sharing my news since he knew it would take his mother’s interest away from his refusal to settle down and the playboy lifestyle he worked hard to portray.
“Is the captain working today?” I deflected and looked around the produce department.
“I’ll give you a free pass today on your avoidance, but you know you’re an extension of my family, and nothing would make me happier than you finding your happily ever after, Boden. It’s high time you put yourself first. Brooke has settled down, and you know your parents would want—”
