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“I was there that spring break. Even at seventeen, Chelsea hooked you. I never said anything because I wasn’t worried. I knew you. You wouldn’t touch Chelsea, not without breaking things off with Laura first. I figured I had some time before I had to play big brother.”
Jared gripped his bottle tight, not liking it that he’d been so transparent.
“If Laura hadn’t got
ten pregnant, you’d have broken things off and when Chelsea turned eighteen…” Will’s voice trailed off.
“But Laura was pregnant, and I did love her.” They’d experienced so many firsts together, had planned on spending their lives together. He’d had no right to want someone else, to want Chelsea.
But he had.
Will nodded. “I know you loved her. We all did. Laura was a great girl. Sorry I brought her up, but I just hate seeing you so miserable after all this time.”
“I’m happy,” he insisted.
“Then why do you keep staring at my sister like she’s everything you’ve ever wanted?”
“You’re wrong.” That would be…wrong. He’d made a promise to Laura, a promise he wouldn’t break.
“If you say so, pal.” Will looked thoughtful. “But Laura wouldn’t have wanted this, you know.”
“This?”
“You beating yourself up because she’s gone.”
“I’m not beating myself up.”
“No, you’re punishing yourself for not loving her the way she loved you, punishing yourself because you’re in love with my sister.”
“You’ve drunk too much.”
Will glanced down at his glass. “Unless someone’s spiked the punch, I’m completely sober. And I doubt that less than half a beer has affected you, so do yourself a favor and go grovel or whatever the hell you have to do to make things right.” Will’s gaze shifted to Leslie. “It’s what I plan to do.”
“You’re telling me to go after your sister?”
“What the hell do you think I brought her here for?”
“I specifically recall you warning me off her.”
“You’d have been mad if I told you I was matchmaking.”
“You want Chelsea and me together? Even knowing what I did to Laura?”
Will shook his head. “What you did to Laura? What did you do to her? You loved her enough to sacrifice your own happiness to give her what she wanted. You.”
“I killed her.”
“Nobody killed her. She lost control of her car and crashed. It was an accident.”
“No, she…”
“She what? Crashed on purpose? You don’t really believe that, do you?”
Jared didn’t answer.
“Laura was a fighter, a go-getter. Even if she was mad as nails at you, she wouldn’t have done that. Not to mention that she loved you, Jared. She’d never have intentionally crashed because she wouldn’t have been willing to put you through the guilt you’ve felt over her death.”
Will’s words beat against his heart like raindrops on a glass pane, rising in intensity until a thunderous downpour stormed against the wall protecting him.
