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Gemma shrugs. “It’s not your job to worry about me and my decisions.”

“I’d like to change that.”

She denies me with a scoff. “You lost that privilege.”

“How can I earn it back?”

“Chance.” She says my name like it’s a battle. “I’m not interested in whatever you’re selling, okay? Been there. Done that. Got my heart stomped on.”

“And I’ve been consumed with guilt ever since.”

“You have a funny way of showing it.”

“Want me to make another announcement?” I cup my hands around my mouth in preparation.

“Don’t you dare,” she snaps and yanks on my arm. “You’ve done enough damage.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No more than usual.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly. All I saw was Wyatt acting like a dick and I had the overwhelming urge to defend you. By any means necessary.” I grip the back of my neck when she shoots me with an unimpressed frown. Only this girl has the power to shake my confidence. “Am I making it worse? I suck at this.”

“The line of adoring fans waiting to steal my spot speaks highly of your skills.” Gemma waves at the girls trying to get my attention, but she only gets sneers in return.

“That doesn’t mean anything.” The truth bubbles on my tongue, but I’m not ready. “All I want is your forgiveness.”

She snorts. “Gonna have to try a lot harder.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s still a shock you’re even talking to me right now.”

“But that doesn’t mean I’m going soft.” She points a painted fingernail at me. “Over the years, I’ve accepted that you’re irrational and will act accordingly. It would be a waste of energy to kick up a fuss whenever you do something stupid.”

“Um, okay?”

“I don’t care enough to fight about it,” she reiterates.

“Damn,” I breathe. The hole in my chest spreads. “That sounds bad.”

Gemma doesn’t look the least bit bothered. “You brought this indifference on yourself, Bronc.”

Warmth floods me when she uses her nickname for me. “I’m trying to fix it.”

“Better change your strategy. I’m not impressed by public humiliation.”

But Gemma hasn’t tolerated my presence for this long since before I blew up Meadow Masters. That has to count for something, whether she’s willing to admit it yet or not.

The groan I release is pitiful, taking me down another peg or two. “I fucked that up. Again. When it comes to you, my brain gets scrambled and I make the worst possible decisions.”

She chomps on that for a pause longer than my last piss. “Yeah, that totally tracks.”

“But I got my point across, didn’t I?”

“Sure did. As if finding a decent man to look beyond my scars wasn’t hard enough. I’ll be single for the rest of my days thanks to you.”

Another rush of anger pumps through me, demanding justice for her. “That reaction isn’t normal. Wyatt is scum.”

Her exhale is long and sad. “You’d be surprised how often it happens.”