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This William is so much easier to fall for. And maybe that’s what is worrying me. I love Max with all of me, and yet, being away from him, not knowing if he’s dead or alive, is hard. And having William around me, showering me with attention, it’s messing with my head right now.
I’m sitting on the floor of the shower, the water pelting my back, tears freely flowing down my face. I want the life I had back. It’s such a cruel twist of fate that I’ve been ripped from my family and friends, and even more so, from the love of my life.
Resolving to keep William at a distance, my thoughts turn to Darin and Vanessa.If only I had some way to contact them. They would know if Max were still alive.
I ache thinking about my friends. I’ve hung around Darin enough that he’s almost like a big brother to me now, teasing me mercilessly about everything, making me laugh until my stomach aches. And when he and Max get into it, I can’t stop laughing.
And Vanessa… I’d give anything to see her. To talk and laugh about everything under the sun. This was supposed to be our best year ever…
After I have cried until I have nothing left, I push myself to my feet, letting the cold water hit me before getting out. Wrapping myself in a fluffy towel, I squeeze the water from my hair as I stare at my reflection. My eyes are puffy and red, and my skin is splotchy.
I put on Max’s sweatshirt and a pair of leggings, inhaling deeply. The smell of the detergent Emma used to wash it overpowers his scent, but when I close my eyes, his woodsy, musky aroma surrounds me. His face appears inside my mind, the look of love so intense that it physically pains me, sucking the air from my lungs.
Opening my eyes, I stare at myself. My shoulders are slumped and there is a distant, vacant look in my eyes. Grabbing the diffuser, I dry my hair, my thoughts lost on Max. Every moment we’ve spent together since the day I met him goes through my head, much like a movie.
When I’m finished, I heave out a long sigh and open the bathroom door. I take one step into the bedroom, pausing when I see William sitting in the chair, his brows wrinkled. His legs bouncing as he locks his gaze with mine.
“Are you okay?” His voice is filled with such tenderness that my heart instantly aches. I want to lie to him and tell him I’m fine, but I can’t.
Instead, I do something unimaginable. I shake my head and rush over to him, falling into his lap. He wraps his arms around me, holding me against him. His heart is beating so fast that I can feel it through Max’s sweatshirt. He lowers his face into my hair, breathing deeply.
I should pull away, yet I can’t. My brain screams at me to label him as the enemy and hate him, but my heart argues it’s not that simple.
Everything is so fucking complicated right now.
William’s voice makes me pull back and look at him. “How about we head outside to the patio and drink coffee?”
Raising my brows, I stare at him. “But I only drink frozen mochas.”
William laughs. “I know. I’ve got you.” He picks up his phone and hits a button. Emma answers. “Can you bring Irelynn a frozen mocha, please? And I’ll take—”
“One of those girly iced coffees,” I yell into the phone. That turns out to be a mistake. William tickles me and I squeal right into his phone, probably deafening Emma before I nearly fall onto the floor. William’s arms won’t let me go as he tickles me until I beg for mercy.
I hear Emma laughing as she says, “So one frozen mocha and one girly coffee coming right up.”
He hangs up, laughing. “You are gonna pay for that.” He resumes tickling me as I squirm and laugh until I cry. William is laughing as hard as I am.
When Emma comes in, I’m lying on the floor. William holds his hands up in the air. “I have no idea why she’s on the floor, Emma.”
I start laughing again. “Lies, Emma. All lies. He tickled me until I fell on the floor.”
William reaches his hands down to mine and I grab on, letting him pull me to my feet.
Emma carries our coffees to us, a smile on her face. “I’m guessing that was your punishment for calling his drink a girly iced coffee?”
Wrapping my hand around the plastic cup, I look at it. “Did you make this, Emma?” Then I glance over at William, taking a step behind Emma so he can’t reach me. “And it is.”
William pauses with his drink halfway to his lips. “Don’t make me tickle you again,” he warns. Winking, he lifts it the rest of the way, taking a long drink.
“Yes, I did, Miss Irelynn. William found out how to make these and showed me. Now you can have one whenever you want.”
I give her a grateful look, then nod at William. “Thank you.” Taking a long pull from the straw, I release a long, happy sigh. “This is excellent. But I may need to run on the treadmill again to burn off all the calories I’m consuming.”
“Lord, here she goes again,” William mutters. “Emma, will you please tell her she’s thin as a rail and has nothing to worry about?”
Emma grins at me. “What he said, Miss Irelynn. You could stand to put on a couple of pounds. You’ve lost weight since you’ve been here.”
I blush, looking at her, then at him. “You are both too kind.” I take a long drink of my coffee, feeling awkward.
