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“This was so much easier with Ryan,” I huff as we turn into the driveway.
“What about Ryan? Sawyer, would you slow down and talk to me?” She bends over and rests her hands on her knees.
I pace back and forth with my hands on my hips, searching for the words I want. Before I can find them, the front door bangs shut and Wes is barreling toward me.
“I thought you were doing a long run, what happened?” He grabs my arms and runs his hands over them, searching for signs that I’m hurt. When he doesn’t find any, he cups my face tenderly, guiding my eyes to his. “Are you okay?”
I nod. Behind me Hollie gasps.
Wes pulls me to him and hugs me tightly, speaking to Hollie over my head. “What happened?”
“She…I…” Hollie clears her throat. “Did Colt really break you two up?”
“Yeah.” He sighs. “I was young and stupid enough to listen, but yeah.”
“In high school?” Her voice rises several octaves.
“Is it the high school part or the stepsibling part that has you tripped up?” I can feel Wes tense as he puts the question to her, but with his arms around me I realize the answer doesn’t matter. Her approval would be appreciated, but it’s not required. I wrap my arms around Wes’s waist, hoping he gets that message. Given the way he relaxes I think he does.
“The high school part, I think. It’s just crazy to believe you were together while you lived together. Your parents didn’t have an issue with that?”
I turn to look at her, leaving one arm draped behind Wes’s waist. “They didn’t know.”
“Now Colt getting involved makes sense,” she says more to herself than us.
“He didn’t get involved until Wes was leaving for college. The whole thing was a moot point by then.”
“No, it wasn’t. Wes would be back eventually, putting you both under the same roof again.”
“I could’ve moved in with my dad over the summers then.”
“While he was out of the country?” Hollie looks at me skeptically.
“Why are you taking his side?” I cry. “He made me think Wes didn’t love me, that he chose the game over me, and I shut him out for that. We’ve both been alone and miserable for years because of what my dad did.”
“I’m not taking sides, I’m just looking at this from a parent’s perspective.” Hollie holds her hands up in surrender.
Wes hugs me to him and kisses my forehead.
“You agree with her, don’t you?” I look up at him.
“I agree he had good intentions. They spiraled and turned into something much more serious than he anticipated, but we’re past that now, right?” He brushes a stray tear away with his thumb.
Closing my eyes, I process what Hollie and Wes are saying. Deep down I know there’s truth behind their words. Dad didn’t set out to hurt me, or Wes. But we did get hurt, and years of scars don’t disappear overnight. On the other hand, I’m tired of letting those scars control me, of pushing people away to avoid getting more. I can’t just flip a switch and turn my pain off, but I can make an effort to move beyond it.
I swallow, open my eyes, and whisper the words I’ve never said before, to anyone. “Can you help me?”
Wes nods solemnly, understanding both what I’m referring to and the gravity of my request. “As you wish,” he whispers back, pulling me to him so he can brush his lips across mine.
“Yoo hoo.” Hollie waves at us. “The lovey dovey stuff is cute and all, but I’m still here. Maybe you should save it for the bedroom.”
We both stifle a laugh. “Go say goodbye to your friend, then we’ll fix things with Colt.” Wes kisses me again and nudges me toward Hollie.
She crosses her arms as I approach, and my steps falter.
“That’s right, you should be ashamed. Keeping him a secret all this time. I asked you to set me up for God’s sake.” She hisses this last part so Wes can’t hear. “Awkward.”
“In my defense we weren’t together when you asked that, so it’s not nearly as awkward as you’re making it out. But I am sorry for not telling you sooner.” I bite my lip to contain my smirk.
