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“Yes?” I asked, hoping he didn’t make this awkward for me.
His hard glare was on Brent. “Are you being bothered?”
I laughed then. “Oh, no.” He thought Brent was dangerous? That was hilarious. “This is Brent McCumber. He’s a friend from back home.”
Six looked back at me. “In Alabama?”
“Yes. We went to the same church.”
Six frowned, then nodded and stepped back, but not very far. I turned back to Brent, who had a concerned look on his face. I could understand why—Six was intimidating to look at.
“Well, anyway, sorry to hear about you and Patricia. It was good to see you,” I told him, deciding I needed to get away from him before he asked any questions I couldn’t answer.
“Don’t be. I’m not. It’s a relief, really. She wasn’t the one for me.”
“Oh. Well then, I’m glad y’all figured it out.”
He licked his lips nervously. “Yeah, I have tried to call you, but your line has been disconnected. Did you get a new number?”
I shook my head. Why would he want to call me? I didn’t like where this was going. “I just don’t have a phone anymore.”
“Aspen,” Trinity’s voice called, and I glanced back to see her looking in the long mirror at the white dress she’d put on.
“Be right there,” I replied, then looked back at Brent. “I’m sorry. I need to go. It was great to see you. I hope you like your new school.”
I started to turn and leave when his hand came out and wrapped around my arm.
“Wait,” was all he said before Six was between us, removing his hand from my arm.
“What the hell?” Brent said in an annoyed tone. He wasn’t used to being treated this way. Back home, he’d been the quarterback, and everyone loved him.
“Wait, Six,” I said, shaking my head at him. “It’s fine.”
“Are you dating this guy?” Brent asked me, looking horrified.
“No, he’s a friend.”
He wasn’t a friend at all. I barely knew him, but what else could I say?
Brent glared at Six, and I winced. This could get ugly. Brent was a bit too cocky and had no idea who he was messing with.
I stepped between them. “Listen, Six, I got this,” I told him.
His hard expression looked down at me, and then he nodded before stepping back.
Turning back to Brent, I tried to smile like this wasn’t weird at all. “I need to go. Again, it was great to see you,” I told Brent.
He was scowling when his eyes dropped from Six to me. “Are you okay, Aspen? You know I’d do anything for you. Anytime you need me, call. I … I chose to come to Gainesville because I knew it was close to you. I missed you.”
What the actual heck was he saying?
I shook my head and laughed because he could not be serious.
“I’m confused here, Brent. You broke up with me—well, we weren’t even a couple really. You, however, cut things off with me and began seeing Patricia over a year ago. When I left Robertsdale, you were engaged. Why would you choose a college to be near me?”
He sighed and shifted his feet. “I made a mistake. I felt pressure from my family, and your heart condition scared me. I just—hell, Aspen, I’d been in love with you for years. Then, I finally got your attention, and I fucked up.”
I was sure my mouth was hanging open. He was claiming he’d loved me. Really?
