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Too many hurdles existed for us to work. I couldn’t ask him to uproot his life and move to Atlanta after spending nine days together, could I? What man in his right mind would? When I asked him about pursuing his music, he’d made it clear that Rosewood Pines was home.
We might have been in love when we were teens, but we were different people now. We had responsibilities. Nine days couldn’t prove we were compatible.
Yeah, the sex was amazing. Toe-curlingly amazing every single time. We shared similar hobbies playing video games, watching action flicks, and arguing about them. I couldn’t cook worth one damn, and he was good at it. When we were together, we didn’t need to talk, and it never felt awkward.
But it’d felt this good too in high school. Then my whole life came crashing down. What was to stop that from happening again?
My mood blacker than a witch’s soul, I entered the house and closed the door behind me. I needed something strong to knock me out, so I didn’t do anything foolish. Like hopping the fence and climbing into Maddix’s bedroom through the window he always kept open.
In the kitchen, I found a coffee mug and poured some vodka mixed with ginger beer.
“What did you do?”
Startled, I jerked, and the liquid spilled over my hand and onto the counter. “Shit. Aunt Glad, what are you doing up?” I grabbed a dish towel and mopped up the mess.
“I’d ask you the same question. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the reunion with Maddix?”
“We left early.”
She cursed a string of expletives. I stared at her, slack-jawed.
“Don’t give me that look.” She shook a finger at me. “What did you do?”
“Why do you suppose I did something?”
“Because that sweet boy would never do anything to hurt you.”
She came over to me, knocked my hand aside, and took my drink.
“Gladys, I was drinking that.”
“For what I’m about to say, I need it more than you.” She gulped a mouthful. “Sit down.”
“But I—”
“Sit down, Troy.”
I took a chair at the kitchen table opposite her, just as we’d done when I was in high school and I came home in tears and temper from Maddix fucking with me. She would ask me what was wrong, and to protect Maddix, I wouldn’t say a word because although he was an asshole, I never wanted to get him in trouble.
“Look, I don’t know what happened tonight, but you are about to ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes, I know that because I saw those guys you dated, Troy, and they’re not suitable for you. They don’t have heart and soul like Maddix does.”
“Is that the reason you got me here under false pretenses?” I crossed my arms. “Don’t bother denying it. You’ve been pushing me and Maddix together ever since I got here. I wouldn’t be surprised if you locked me out of the house the other day just so I had to cross the fence.”
She took another sip. “So what if I did?”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Does it matter what my method is? You deserve someone who will genuinely love and care for you. Someone who is by your side to support you.”
“Why must that person be Maddix?”
“Because you both care about each other. Honey, I know you’re scared, but don’t allow fear to come between you.”
“I’m not scared. I have legitimate concerns, a major one being we live in two different states.”
