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I spilled everything to Rain, and we sat, talking for hours. She didn’t judge me or think I was gross for loving my stepbrother.
After that night, though, Toby slowly started to change. The last two weeks, he’s started going out more with Bishop, leaving me behind. Not always, but most times.
We stopped cuddling like we used to. He stopped coming into my bed when he couldn’t sleep at night.
I know things are changing between us and I hate it so much it hurts.
“Little Flower,” Toby says, his gaze finding mine. My heart skips a beat at the nickname he hasn’t called me in weeks. “You gonna come say goodbye, or what?” he asks with that side grin that takes my breath away.
All the adults and kids have disappeared, leaving Toby and me alone in the foyer. We stand there, only an inch between us. My eyes trace his face as if this is the last time I’ll ever see him, and I need to remember every inch. He might only be moving across town, but I’m not going to see him every day. Things will probably never be the same again. That thought alone has tears forming in my eyes.
“Lills,” Toby sighs. He brings his tattooed hand up, brushing the falling tears from my cheeks with his thumb. I wish he didn’t do that; it makes my heart hurt more while loving his touch. “Don’t cry, please. I hate seeing you cry.”
“I’m sorry,” I sniff. “It’s just, I’m gonna miss you.”
“I might be moving out of the house, but I’m not moving that far away,” he reassures, pulling me into his arms as I wrap mine around him.
Every time he holds me like this, I break a little more inside.
“It’s not that and you know it,” I murmur against his chest as his strong arms hold me tight. We stand like that for a while, my hand fisting the back of his shirt, never wanting to let him go.
“I love you, Lilly,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head, then breaks the little bubble that is us.
He quickly turns away, not giving me a chance to say it back, as he grabs his bag off the floor and heads out the open door. I stand in the doorway, watching him jog over to Bishop’s new Jeep. He hops in the passenger seat as Bishop sticks his head out the top.
“See you later, il mio cuore. Be a good girl while we’re gone,” he teases, giving me a wink.
A smile finds my lips as I raise my hand with a soft laugh and flip him the finger. He gasps, his hand slapping against his chest like I wounded him. I just laugh and shake my head as he sits back down.
But the smile slips away as I watch the Jeep backing out of the driveway, my eyes finding Toby’s again.
We stare at each other, a thousand unsaid words passing between us. When they are no longer in sight, I lean my head against the door frame and sigh, willing the tears to not return.
“How you doing, Lillypad?” Rain asks as she comes up behind me, putting her head on my shoulder.
“Not good,” I admit.
“Don’t give up on him, okay?”
“I won’t.” I don’t think I could, even if I wanted to. And I don’t.
I’m not sure what’s going on inside that complicated mind of yours, Tobias Munro, but I plan on finding out, one way or another.
Chapter 3
Lillianna
Two years later
The music is loud, my head is swimming, and I’m about to do something huge. I might regret it when I wake up, but drinking seems to have given me the courage that I’ve been needing for the past few weeks.
“Where are you going?” Bianca asks as I stand up from our place on the couch. I feel a rush of déjà vu hit me as I look down at my best friend. Only this time, I’m not going to try and confess my love to someone, more like the complete opposite.
“I just got to do something real quick. I’ll be right back.”
She gives me a funny look but takes a sip of her drink and goes about her conversation with Milly, one of our friends.
My eyes scan the crowd, looking for my boyfriend, Jonas. Well, I guess I should say soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend, because that’s what I’m about to go do. Break up with my boyfriend of almost two years at the end of the year party.
