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It was my turn to drop my fork and it clattered loudly as Lawson snarled, “No fucking way.”
I swallowed hard, the bite of food going down the wrong way, causing me to choke. For a brief second, I saw my life flash before my eyes and thought of the irony that it was Hampton who saved me all those years ago and it was him who would be the reason I choked to death tonight.
When I finally managed to get air into my lungs, I gasped, “Why do I have to move out?”
It was stupid, I knew exactly why I had to move out, but I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it.
&nb
sp; “Well, you can’t live with us,” he said so flippantly that my eyes nearly bugged out of my head.
“Have you been body snatched?” I looked around the room in search of aliens or some sort of explanation for who the hell this guy sitting across from me was. “Where’s my sweet, dependable Hampton?”
Hampton’s eyes dropped to his plate and his throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. I struck a chord. When his gaze finally returned to my face, he said quietly, “I’m married now. I can’t start a marriage with a roommate.”
My stomach sank. He was right. My eyes filled with tears again and I squeezed them shut, willing the moisture away.
“I think staying with Lawson is a great idea,” Mr. Reed chimed in. “Son, you’re not still sweet on her, are you?”
My eyes flew open and I shook my head. This was not happening.
Georgia spat her water out of her mouth before dissolving into a fit of laughter while Mrs. Reed smacked her husband on the arm.
“Jesus, Walter. Don’t sell the boy out that way.” She dropped her voice. “Of course he’s still sweet on her.” She looked at me, a wry smile gracing her face. “Just look at her. Who wouldn’t be? Other than Hampton, of course.”
Georgia continued to laugh, not even attempting to regain any composure and while I loved her dearly, I was tempted to stab her with my fork if she didn’t shut up.
I sat there, at the dinner table I’d eaten at nearly all my life, and looked around it. It was full of the people I loved, and yet, I felt more alone. My mind was a jumble of conflicting emotions. And I’d cried more in the last half hour than I had in the last six months.
I needed air. And space. And time.
I pushed away from the table and plastered on the widest smile I could muster, knowing it probably more closely resembled a grimace. “Mrs. Reed, dinner was delicious as always. But I think I’m going to head home.” I glanced over at where Hampton sat, his eyes laced with concern. “Congratulations, you two.” My voice wobbled as I lied, “I’m so happy for you.”
Hampton pulled his hand from Smith’s and began to rise, but stopped when I shook my head. He had always been the one I turned to when I was upset, but not this time. This time, he was the one person who couldn’t make me feel better.
I turned and with effort, managed to walk to the door. When I reached it, I pulled it open and bolted through it. It was when I realized that Hampton had driven us there that the dam burst, the tears rolling down my cheeks as I pulled up my Uber app and called for a ride to the condo that was apparently no longer my home.
8
Lawson
“No way, dude.”
Hampton huffed and pushed his way inside.
“Sure, come on in,” I muttered and then turned and headed for the kitchen.
It had been two days since the dinner that was a giant shit show. And for the last forty-eight hours, I’d been in a mood so foul that not even Seven had wanted to be around me. I wanted to believe it was because of our unexpected dinner guests, but the truth was the moment I’d seen Piper, standing there looking just as stunned as I was, my stomach had bottomed out, and all the feelings I thought I’d finally gotten over came rushing back. A lifetime of memories, laced with longing and desire flooded my mind.
But the girl I’d pined over was gone.
The pictures I had seen did her no justice. And the woman who had taken her place was far more dangerous than I could have imagined. The pixie features I’d always thought were cute had matured into a striking woman. One that sure could bring a man to his knees with a single look.
And fuck if I was going to let that be me.
“Listen, Lawson. You’ve been gone for—”
“Eight fucking years. Jesus, I know. Mom’s spent the last eight years tallying the time and then reminding me every time I talked to her,” I growled. “If we want to be precise, it’s been almost three thousand days since I left this town behind.”
