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I’m definitely not expecting her to say, “I’m sorry.”
It’s just a whisper, intense and heartfelt.
“I’m sorry I ran away and left you so soon. We were soclose, Grant, and... and it felt like something broke. Like losing Ethan cut the thread that tied everything together, sending everyone spinning.”
“Because we let it,” I snarl. “Because even though he was the red thread of fate or whatever that held us together, we could’ve found a new way to stick. Only, we were young and hurt and scared and stupid. So yeah, you fucking ran. So did I in my own way. I’m sure Ros did too.” I press my lips to her hair tentatively. “Hell, some days it feels like I’ve been running from you half my life.”
“I still don’t understand. When did you realize...” She can’t finish.
She doesn’t need to.
“Can’t say.”
“Grant?” she urges.
My nostrils flare.
She smells too good, all alluring woman mingled with that calming beeswax scent.
I close my eyes, inhaling her as I murmur into that golden crown of hair.
“Just feels like one day you were this bratty thing following us around. Then I blinked and you were still a huge brat, but a girl, too. Then a woman, as time went by. Once I saw you that way, there was no blinding myself again. Couldn’t stop if I tried.” I smile faintly. “Even though I knew Ethan would kill me.”
Ophelia laughs faintly, her body moving gently against mine.
“Did he know?”
“Fuck no. That happened later. The age difference alone would’ve been lethal. If he was still around, I’d rather stab an eye out with a stick than tell Ethan I was in love with his little sister.”
“I wonder if he thought about the future anyway.. I think he knew I was crushing on you and I never told him—and he never let me live it down. Every time your back was turned, he was always picking on me, making kissy faces.” She scrunches her nose. “The jerk,” she mutters affectionately.
Goddamn, that cuts to the bone.
Mainly because I feel it, too.
That warmth, that easy affection. It’s like it keeps part of him around, my best friend egging us both on, no matter how MIA he is.
I can see his easygoing smile even now.
That’s just how Ethan was.
Everyone’s friend, never met a stranger he didn’t like, this charmer with the cocky grin and messy shag of sandy hair.
If he were here, he’d tell us to stop being screwballs and get out of our own way.
Then he’d thumpme for the things I’m suddenly wanting to do, with the way my heart catches fire at the wordsI was crushing on you.
I linger on that warm expression of fond memories on Ophelia’s face, then catch a lock of honey-gold hair and coil it around my fingers.
“All this time, we both thought it was hate when it was the exact opposite.”
“All this time. Crazy,” she agrees shyly, a slow smile spreading across her lips.
Only trouble is, it’s happening so fast it makes my head spin.
Where the hell do we go from here with two lives apart and endless drama pulling us in different directions?
“So, you still crushing on me now?” I ask.
