AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Bran wouldn’t do that to her. He loves your sister. You did this. You couldn’t handle the attention moving to someone else. You couldn’t bear to see your sister happy when you’re determined to stay miserable.”
Her mother’s hateful words took the breath from her lungs. Ice formed around her heart.
“That’s not true,” she wheezed, stunned by how much her mother’s lack of understanding could still crush her. “How could you say such a hateful thing?”
“Perrin was perfectly fine before you walked into this house.”
She swallowed tightly. “Sorry, Mom. For once, I’m not the one to blame. Bran is.”
“But you had to tell her,” she sneered. “Now, look at her!”
“Mom, stop!” Perrin cried. “This isn’t Maggie’s fault.”
Her mother glared at both of them. “You won’t be happy until everyone around you is miserable.” She slammed the door, and Maggie shook with the reverberation.
“Don’t listen to her,” Perrin sniffled. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her sister’s words barely penetrated the icy shell protecting her. She didn’t comment. Her hand smoothed over Perrin’s hair and she continued to comfort her. As her sobs abated, she fretfully mentioned all the things that needed to be done.
“We’ll take care of it,” Maggie promised, unsure how she’d handle everything.
They needed to get a refund on the hall and the church. They needed to contact all the guests and cancel the flower order. In between each task Perrin mentioned, her voice would die a little more.
Maggie started a list on her phone, promising to take care of everything. Leave it to her sister to have everything booked ahead of schedule. Maggie refused to leave any of the fallout to someone who clearly needed time to mourn—something she understood all too well. And so help her God, if Bran even tried to interfere, she’d murder him.
Chapter 34
Ryan gave Maggie plenty of space over the next week. Perrin’s car became a frequent fixture in front of her house, and he figured she’d appreciate the time with her sister. But when Friday came and her sister didn’t show, he expected Maggie to visit him or at least call. She didn’t.
On Saturday morning, she left early to visit the cemetery, and he waited on her back porch for her to return. When she pulled her bike into the yard and spotted him, her expression blanked.
While he wanted to respect her and give her time to deal with her family, he also didn’t want this trouble with Bran and his cousin to put a wedge between them. It hadn’t been the easiest week, and he needed his girlfriend.
She walked through the gate but didn’t come to the back door. Instead, she sat on the chair by the firepit. The other chair had been Nash’s, and he didn’t feel comfortable taking it. She’d know that, so her choice confirmed she was forcing space between them.
“How’s Perrin?”
“Hurting. Confused. Sad.”
He expected as much. She wouldn’t look at him. Her sister’s turmoil likely stirred some past fears, and he hated that this felt like a step backwards for them.
“I’d never do what he did.”
“I know. You’re one of the good ones.”
He was glad she thought so. “Perrin will meet someone better.”
Maggie nodded. “Eventually. But she’ll never get over this. She’ll never forget what he did. My sister has always been one of the most trusting people I know, and he took that from her.”
“We’re all products of our experiences. The bad ones only make us stronger.” When she didn’t comment, he said, “Maggie, I know watching your sister get hurt scared you. It scared me too. But we’re in a different place, and we can’t let other people’s choices control our own. We decide what we want.”
“I know that, too.”
“Then why are you avoiding me? Your sister hasn’t been here in two days.”
She folded her hands between her knees and looked at the ground. “Because this made me realize some things about us, and I’m still trying to process them.”
“Care to fill me in?”
“You’ll get there faster than me.”
“What does that mean?”
She looked at him then. “It means, if I tell you, you’ll process it faster than I can, and I don’t want to feel pressured.”
“Pressured to do what?”
“Ryan…” She fidgeted. “I think we should…” Her brow knit tight and her lips pressed into a thin line.
His heart plummeted. “Please don’t break up with me.”
She drew back. “I’m not. I think we should sleep together.”
Not at all what he was expecting, he felt his mouth open and close, but words wouldn’t come out. He finally blurted an off pitched, “Now?”
She shrugged. “Not right this second but soon.” Her palms dragged over her face and she blew out a breath. “Last week when I went to my sister’s, I realized how lucky I am to have you. Not that I didn’t already appreciate you, but I realized you’re more than my boyfriend. You’re my best friend. I trust you more than I trusted…” She looked away.
