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“What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about,” he coerces with both hands in his pockets. “Are you willing to tear apart your family for some guy?”
“Austin—”
“I know you better than you think. Once upon a time, your eyes looked into mine the same way they’re looking into his.” I can almost hear the hurt in his voice, but he manages to ignore the stumble. “He’s too old for you. Do you honestly expect him to give up his dream of becoming the next billionaire to play boyfriend to a college girl?”
And the secret comes out to the one person I didn’t want to hurt. We may have been friends, and I may have been okay with his admission to dating Summer, but deep down inside, I know that Austin has figured out the depth of my feelings toward Will.
Something I can no longer hide.
“It’s not that simple,” I mumble.
“No, it’s not that simple. Somebody is going to get hurt, and the chances are, it’s all you, Millie.”
“I’m an adult now,” I say defensively. “I can handle this.”
“You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Don’t let this hinder your dreams of studying law. Guys like him don’t settle down, they play women, and you’ll be no different.”
I touch the base of my neck, unable to meet his longing stare.
“I’ll be fine, I promise. Don’t worry about me.”
“I’ll always worry about you, Millie.”
Austin wraps his arms around me, a tight embrace bringing back a flood of memories. It would’ve been so much easier to have fallen in love entirely with Austin and continue seeing him. My parents would have approved since they’ve always welcomed him inside our home.
All the things that couples do together—Christmas, New Year’s Eve—all of which I could’ve spent with him without the worry of being caught since it wouldn’t be a problem.
But none of this matters, not when my heart belongs to someone else.
And I can no longer deny my feelings toward Will, however raw, consuming, and irrevocably profound my emotions may be.
I say goodbye to Austin, promising to catch up online and possibly when he’s in town. Walking back toward the house, I have no idea what to do next, wanting very much to be alone right now to process tonight.
As I take steps toward the door, my gaze drifts to the window near my dad’s office, and I swear eyes are watching me.
I manage to escape to my room, telling Mom I’m tired and need some sleep, avoiding Will at all costs while trying to come to terms with my admission. Ava joins me for a while, lying in bed with me and asking question after question. It isn’t long before I kick her out, desperately needing solitude.
Inside my bed, I toss and turn with the urge to text Will. Every time I begin to type, I erase the message. Nothing I can say right now will calm his anger toward Austin coming here, and I’m terrified of acting differently now that my feelings have shifted.
By one o’clock, after hours of staring at the ceiling, I jump out of bed to leave my room. Dressed in my tattered Lakers tee and bed socks, I close the door to my room. The house is shadowed in complete darkness, not a single person awake.
I tiptoe toward the kitchen, open the refrigerator, and grab a bottle of water to quench my thirst. But as I continue to stand here, I toy with temptation, reminding myself exactly where the cameras are positioned.
I need to see him and clear the air between us before it tears us apart.
When I walk through the back hall, I head toward the other wing of the house with the guest bedroom, carefully avoiding where all the cameras are pointing. When it comes to security systems, my dad spared no expense. Over the years, Ava and I have learned a few tricks despite its so-called sophisticated technology.
Standing outside the bedroom door, a tightness overcomes my chest. What if he tells me he can’t do this? That this was just a fling? That I’m too young and not worth the trouble? Can I handle hearing those exact words right now?
I take a deep breath. It’s now or never.
Slowly, I turn the handle and gently close the door behind me. With the drapes open, I see his shadow against the large bed frame. He’s resting on his back with his arm beneath his head, his sculpted chest visible under the pale moonlight. My walls begin to crumble at the sight of him. I can’t hold back anymore, desperate to touch him and tell him how I feel.
Moving toward the bed, I stand beside it with hesitation. The second his hand reaches out for me, I climb under the sheets and snuggle into the side of his body, allowing his skin to envelope me with warmth. I purposely lay my head on his chest, listening to the sound of his beating heart. It’s playing the most beautiful tune, and I wish for it to be only ever heard by me.
“Amelia,” he breathes into my hair. “You shouldn’t be here.”
