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“I was afraid you might say that.” Her gaze dropped.
“Hey.” I cupped her face again, coaxing her back to me. “Don’t ever shy away from me, Lily.”
“Don’t ever break my heart, Kaiden. I’m not sure I would survive it.”
Fuck.
It was the best and worst possible thing she could ever say to me.
Before I could answer, our car arrived in the loading bay and our bodies automatically moved away from each other. Our friends were gathered over by the concession stand. I helped Lily out of the ride, letting my hand linger for a second.
She gave me a secretive smile and said, “Thanks for the ride.”
I watched her walk away with a spring in her step. Lily was blossoming before my very eyes and I was fucking terrified that everything was going to come crashing down around her. She’d asked me not to break her heart, but it was a promise she knew I couldn’t keep. Because one day, she’d want more than stolen kisses on a Ferris Wheel and rain-soaked touches in my car.
Lily deserved the world. She deserved a guy who could give her his all. Not a guy who planned to leave Rixon and never look back the second he got the chance.
“I know that look,” Peyton said, joining me.
“Yeah, and what look would that be?” I asked, coolly.
“The one where you’re trying to decide how to let her down gently.”
“It’s complicated.”
“I underestimated you, Kaiden,” she said. “I thought you’d help her spread her wings a little, have some fun. I didn’t think…” She trailed off.
“Didn’t think what?”
“That you’d fall for her.”
I inhaled a sharp breath.
“The question now is, what are you going to do about it?” she prodded.
“I don’t know. But it’s not fair to make her choose between me and her dad.”
“Funny thing about life. It isn’t fair.” Bitterness clung to Peyton’s words. “She’s happy you know.” We both glanced over to where our friends were waiting in line for cotton candy. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile so much. You’ve ignited something inside her.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Frustration coated my words. “I never meant for this to happen.”
“But it did… so now you need to figure out what the hell to do about it. You think her dad’s wrath will be bad if he finds out you’re seeing his daughter… imagine what it will be like if he finds out you’ve broken her heart.” Peyton gave me a hard look before sauntering off to rejoin our friends. Lily glanced over and frowned, her eyes glowing with concern.
I gave her a weak smile and she returned it.
Was Peyton right?
Was it better to bite the bullet now and come clean to Coach before he found out second hand? It was a big risk, considering the guy held my future in the palm of his hand.
It wasn’t just Coach though. It was my father. I would never be able to take Lily home. Never be able to show her off to my parents and make her feel a part of my family.
But could I really just walk away from her?
Stuffing down the confusing thoughts, I made my way over to them, and she met me halfway. “What were you doing over there all by yourself?”
“Just thinking.”
“All good I hope?” She peered up at me through her thick lashes.
