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Litany’s eyes were rolling when she turned from Scarlet’s grasp and headed for where the pastries sat at the edge of the counter. For once, she didn’t look at—or say anything to—Brandon, Konrad, or me as she grabbed the box and left.
The silence that filled the house once they were both gone was something in itself.
Relieving and guilt-ridden.
Thick and light.
Swirling with all that confusion and pain.
“I’m sorry,” I said, finally breaking it just as Brandon murmured, “We should probably go.”
I didn’t look in his direction, just gave a single dip of my head as I kept my focus on the girl standing on the opposite side of the kitchen. Back straight. Arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Beautiful face creased with disbelief and devastation.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked once the guys had left as well.
“I didn’t know how.”
“But you didn’t do anything,” she said as if that should’ve taken away the fear I’d been living under.
As if it wasn’t still there, lingering just beneath the surface.
“She was convinced we were together, Scar,” I reasoned. “LT was coming up with shit like she didn’t have a problem with taking me down. I was terrified that, even if you didn’t believe them, it’d still put that doubt in your head, and it would destroy us anyway.”
“You still should’ve told me,” she said, voice shaky from her lingering emotion. “When I walked in that day or after she left. That night—anything.”
“I panicked,” I admitted, pressing a hand to my chest. “I was still reeling from the insanity of the entire thing, and I panicked. But then hours passed and a day and another, and I felt trapped by the entire thing because LT was trying to make it worse, and I’d already done that by not telling you right away.”
A harsh breath scraped up my throat. “I remember being fucking terrified when you went to brunch that weekend and for what they would say the next time they were all here. I knew I needed to talk to you before then, and then...” I flung out my arm as a deprecating sound built in my chest. “I was distracted.”
“What?” she asked, the word a little unsure.
“The morning of the accident.” My head bobbed quickly before shaking. “I don’t remember driving, but I remember that morning. I was...Jesus, I was so on edge. I kept thinking I needed to get back to you. That I needed to just talk to you. Everything Brandon did nearly set me off—it’d been like that all weekend.”
“Brandon,” she echoed, eyes wide as she took a couple steps toward me. “What did he do?”
“Nothing, but Samantha had gotten in my head,” I admitted ruefully. “I get it now...why I woke up thinking I’d been in some sort of love triangle with Brandon and Harper. Because Sam was trying to get you to want Brandon. To fall for him and leave me for him.”
“That isn’t going to happen,” she said without an ounce of hesitation. “You should’ve known thatthen.”
“I know,” I said quickly, even as my head listed hesitantly. “Just like you should’ve known that all I see is you. Not Harper. Still, when that gets in your head...”
Scarlet studied me for a few seconds, a crease forming between her eyebrows before she conceded with a nod.
A pained laugh wrenched from me. “And that’s why I didn’t know how to tell you what was happening. Becausethat’show easy Samantha could’ve gotten in your head.”
“No,” she said resolutely. “No,youwere convinced you were in love with Harper.Youhad memories with Harper. That’s what got in my head. Someone else trying to convince me they’re with you isn’t going to do anything becauseI know you.”
Shame pushed into my veins when I realized I’d been so gripped by my fear of Scarlet potentially doubting me that I hadn’t noticed I’d doubtedher.
I’d doubted the strength of her love for me and let it mix with my need for her until it had filled me with a fear so consuming that it’d ruled every thought and decision that weekend.
“I should’ve trusted you,” I murmured, head nodding. “I should’ve told you. But that weekend...I remember watching you and Brandon. Listening to every conversation the two of you had while we were surfing and at family night. Looking for any signs and getting irrationally jealous if you so much as laughed at anything he said.”
“Chase—”
“I know,” I repeated, hands raised placatingly. “Scar, I know. Like I said, Samantha had gotten in my head with that. And it only made me worry more that she’d get in yours. But that last morning, I nearly punched him so many times for literally nothing. All I could focus on was getting home to you. All I could think about was getting everything out in the open. I was distracted as hell.”
Scarlet’s expression fell when she finally realized what I was saying. “I’ve heard Brandon and Konrad describe what happened that morning,” she said softly, slowly, as if making sure I was listening. Making sure Ibelievedher. “There was no way you could’ve prevented that wreck.”
