AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What the hell is happening?” Everly’s eyes ping around like a pinball between us all before landing on Bellamy. “What do you mean it took her long enough?” Everly turns to Cross. “This time? When was last time?”
But Cross isn’t confused.
He’s pissed.
He kisses Everly’s temple and walks back into the house.
“Ares.” I tug his hand until he looks down at me. “We don’t have to do this now. I can leave.”
He frames my face in his hands, not giving a shit that both our sisters are watching us. “You know how you’re always doing things for everyone else, and how you’re going to make us a priority?”
I nod and soak in the warmth of his hands.
“I need you to do that now. I need you here with me, beautiful. I need to be selfish right now. And I really don’t want to have to give a shit how that makes your sister feel. Not today. Not this week.”
“Then I’m not going anywhere.” I turn my face against his hand and press a kiss to his palm. “Except maybe to walk a little with Evie, so I can talk to her without the argument I know is coming happening on your front lawn.”
“Baby, you look like a strong wind could blow you away. Don’t go anywhere.”
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
His stormy eyes skim over my face. “I’ll be inside. Call if you need me, okay?”
“I’m always going to need you, Ares. These last two weeks were hell without you.” The words are soft, but the truth in them is so powerful. “And I’ll never stop trying to make up for how long it took me to realize that.”
“Just stay with me. That’s all I need.” He kisses me again quickly and walks past Everly, then presses a palm to Bellamy’s back. “Let’s leave them alone.”
Everly’s eyes are practically spitting fire at him as he walks into the house. “You better start talking now, Gracie. Because I’m about to lose my shit.”
I walk up the steps past her and sit on a rocker, so I can fish through my purse and find a piece of the ginger candy I bought at the airport. “Are you going to be loud, Evie? Because if you are, we need to go somewhere else. I didn’t come here to make a scene or make anything harder on anyone.”
I brace for the conversation I’m least ready to have. This will be the worst one. I know Mom and Dad will be hard too, but Evie... this is going to be worse.
“I didn’t know you were coming at all.” She sits down in the seat across from me and frowns. “What else do I not know, Grace?”
“So many things . . .”
“Care to elaborate? We’ve got nothing but time.” Everly crosses her legs and waits, clearly willing to wait me out. Hope she’s just as willing to listen.
My bravado falters as I look at my twin. I hate the idea of hurting her. But I hate the idea of hurting Ares as much, if not more. And it’s time I put him first. “I’m in love with Ares. I have been for months.”
She opens her mouth, but I refuse to let her stop me now. “He’s been the one good thing in my life...just about the only good thingsince I moved to London.”
“You mean since youcame homefrom London.”
I shake my head, gently. “No, Evie. Since I moved. I was miserable there.”
“What?” That one word... four little letters, they hold so much pain. “How did I not know?”
“Because I never told you.” I’ve got to own this if I’m going to move forward. “I went out of my way to make sure you never found out because I didn’t want to hurt you or Mom and Dad. I didn’t want anyone to be disappointed in me. And maybe, deep down, I thought you knew me better than I knew myself.”
“Grace.” She reaches out and takes my hand. “I don’t understand.”
“Why would you, when I never shared how unhappy I was with anyone?”
“But Ares knew?”
“He saw it before I did. I just didn’t want to believe him.” This man... the one who, even an ocean away, knew I was unhappy and forced me to face my feelings. “Ballet hasn’t made me happy in a really long time, but I was so scared of failure. Of letting everyone down. Of having to figure out what my life looked like without ballet in it.”
