Page 29 of Broken Boundaries

“Thanks, Brooks. I really appreciate it. I can pay rent.”

“Absolutely not,” I say quickly. No way in hell am I taking her money.

She chuckles. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I’ll try to be out of your way quickly.”

“Stay as long as you need.” It’ll be nice having someone so close. As much as I like the solitude, it does get lonely out here sometimes.

We finish our breakfast, and I do the dishes before she stands and sighs.

“I guess I need to get this over with.”

I nod. “Ready when you are.” I put on my boots and grab my keys while she changes out of my shirt.

It feels wrong driving her to break up with my son, but I know it’s the right thing to do.

CHAPTER 11

Aspen

I stare out the windshield at the apartment I’ve only lived in for a month. I don’t want to get out of the truck. I don’t want to have to break up with Zach. I don’t want to walk away from the life I was building.

But I have to.

I can’t stay with someone who doesn’t respect me.

“Thanks for the ride,” I tell Brooks.

“Yep. Of course. Do you want me to… wait?” he asks. Brooks has been so sweet to me over the last twelve hours. From getting me away from the scene of the crime to giving me a place to stay and making me breakfast this morning. I feel spoiled in a way I probably shouldn’t.

“No, I’ll be ok. Thank you.”

He nods. “Alright then. Good luck. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

I slide out of his truck and slowly force myself up the stairs to the apartment. When I open the door, Zach sits up on the couch. I’m guessing he slept there since there’s a pillow from our bed and a rumpled blanket around him.

“Aspen,” he whispers.

“Zach.” My voice comes out firm and serious. Thank god. I do not want to cry in front of him. Not after the way he treated me.

We both stand across the room from each other, and it’s like I’m looking at a stranger. I don’t understand how we could spend two years together, but now it’s gone. Everything is over. All our plans are out the window. How could he say he loves me and then do what he did?

“Whose shirt is that?” he asks.

I look down and realize that I’m still wearing Brooks’s shirt. I didn’t have anything else to wear, so I just threw my shorts on underneath. My shirt from yesterday was all sweaty from being at the festival. It dawns on me that Brooks didn’t even mention me giving it back.

“Really? That’s the first thing you’re going to say to me?”

He shakes his head. “No, sorry. It just threw me off for a second.”

“Yeah, it seems like a lot of things have thrown you off recently.”

He sighs and walks toward me. “Babe, I am so sorry.”

He tries to hug me, but I take a step back and hold my hand out to stop him. “Don’t touch me.”

“Aspen.” He has the audacity to look hurt.