AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I will if I have to. I have plenty of money, and you know I rarely get to use it. If you need this in order to let go and have some fun, tell me. I’ll send you the cost right now.”
I looked at her. There was no joking or hint of sarcasm on her face. “You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She sighed and crossed her arms. “I told you I’m fine, and I am. But I’m not blind, Iz. You’re not happy. I know what that looks like.”
Going to drag my hands over my face, I stopped just short of ruining my makeup. “They smell so good, O. Likesogood. And I swear it feels natural with them. And that’s terrifying.”
“Why?” It was her turn to ask.
“Because look at my track record. Beau asked me out, and within a month, I was…” I shook my head, frustrated at what now felt like the worst kind of naivete. “I was so head over heels for him. And then I spent four years only to be tossed aside. If I fell for him that fast, I can’t know I won’t fall for them, and it’s not evenreal.”
Ocean smiled. “You know it’s bad when I say the same thing as Trinity. But I think you should. Have some fun. Let yourself loose. There’s nothing wrong with this. And having Beau watch you get treated like a queen while he’s with his knock-off Isolde Barbie is the best revenge I can think of.”
Like I couldn’t help it, I looked back at the house. Hawk watched me from one of the doors, leaning against the frame like he had no cares in the world. “O, the way they look at mefeels real. How am I supposed to just let go and pretend we have something and then get over it?”
She shrugged. “So let it be real. You have three weeks. Why the fuck not?”
My mouth opened and closed again. There were about a hundred different reasons I could list aboutwhy not. But they were all me. Every reason came down to me.Iwas scared.Ididn’t want to get hurt.Ididn’t know if I could handle their acting.
But could I?
All the thoughts which had snuck in today—loving their scents, their kisses, Hawk’s hand on my hip, him calling me ‘baby girl’—I wanted it. Their actions and words felt effortless, and leaning into them felt effortless too.
“I’ll think about it,” I finally said.
“Good.”
I would think about it. But the one thing still stopping me was the deepest fear: what if they showed me exactly how happy I could be?
Because either way, after Ellie’s wedding, I would once again be alone.
CHAPTER TEN
________
ROWAN
Stepping up beside Hawk, I watched our Omega with her friend. They were talking about something that affected her, and I selfishly wished I were closer so I could hear. Anyone could see they were both fully engaged, and I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes off Isolde for more than a couple of minutes.
“How was he?”
“The ex?”
“Yeah.”
Hawk snorted. “He didn’t say anything too dickish while I was there, but you know the type. His fiancée was almost worse. She acted like Isolde being with us was shocking and horrifying.”
“Mm.”
Blowing out a breath, he turned and leaned more fully against the frame so he could see me. “I called her ‘baby girl.’”
My eyebrows rose into my hairline. “Not your normal term of endearment.”
“It slipped out, and it felt so fuckingright. This is going to hurt.” He shook his head.
