AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I walk Jonas out to his truck and wave goodbye before heading inside the house to grab a few things I know Bee is going to need when she wakes up.
After I grab some bottles of water and some pain meds, I head toward the back door when something out of the corner of my eye has me pausing.
Looking over, I see Toby standing in the doorway of the kitchen. I swallow hard, my eyes raking over his tattooed body. The man doesn’t have a damn shirt on. Why is the world so cruel to me?
When our eyes lock, I’m met with a pissed off, annoyed glare. That hurts. Things between us haven’t been the same for a couple of years now.
We don’t hang out anymore, hardly talk when he comes over for supper on Sundays, and... he’s so distant, even when he’s right next to me. He hates Jonas with a passion and loves to point it out when he can.
Thankfully, Bishop and I are still close as ever, texting all the time. Mostly, it’s just him sending me stupid memes.
Not being able to handle him looking at me like that, I break eye contact and head out to the pool house.
I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I get outside and gasp for air.
He has a way of doing that, sucking the air out of my lungs and leaving me vulnerable.
My eyes sting with tears again because all I want to do is go back over there and hug him, tell him I love him, that I miss him, and demand he stop being such an asshole. Demand to know why he’s changed so much. What happened between us for him to act like we weren’t each other’s whole world for most of our lives.
The cold shoulder didn’t start until I started dating Jonas. Maybe now that I’m not, things will change.
I know something is going to change because I’ve sat back and done nothing for long enough. One way or another, I’m getting Toby back in my life. It’s up to him what position he will play when I do.
Chapter 4
Lillianna
“Ican’t believe my sweet baby is going away to university.” My mom hugs me so tight it’s starting to hurt.
“I’m only going to be across town. I’ll be home all the time. You're being a little overdramatic,” I sigh, trying to squirm my way out of her hold.
“Ellie, baby, let the girl breathe,” my dad, Brody, says, coming up behind her and kissing the top of her head. He gives me a wink, and I smile.
“Why do my babies keep leaving me?” she huffs, leaning back into Brody’s arms.
“No one has left you,” I laugh. “Toby has come home every Sunday for the past two years. He’s never missed a day.” The consistency makes me happy because it’s the only time I get to see him these days, apart from holiday breaks when he stays here.
But then it also hurts because the fact is, I miss him like crazy, and even when he’s here, he’s not here.
It’s a rare occasion when we hold a conversation. And that's only when he’s drunk, the man can chat my ear off about everything and anything then.
Especially when it has anything to do with Jonas. He truly despises the guy, and I don’t know why. Jonas is sweet, kind, and only ever treated me well.
I feel bad for Jonas because he’s going to be on the same hockey team as Toby this year.
I’ve heard the stories of how Brody and the others were to my mom, and I hate that. I hate what they did to my mom, who is the sweetest, most loving person...well, ever.
Thankfully, that's in the past, but I don’t want to see Toby become that kind of person. I’m not sure what he’s like around everyone else, but with Jonas he really does resemble a bully. It’s a big reason why I’ve avoided him anytime Jonas’ name would get brought up.
It’s hard to have your “brother” hate your boyfriend.
Ex-boyfriend now. But that doesn’t change the fact that Jonas is still one of my best friends and he’s not going anywhere if I can help it.
So, if Toby or the other team members, start giving him a hard time, I won’t hesitate to get my dad involved. Perks of being the coaches' daughter, right? I just hope that Jonas doesn’t get mad at me for it. But I’m not one to sit around and let that kind of shit happen. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.
“I still think you should just live here,” Mom’s voice pulls me from my inner ramblings. “I don’t see the point of going through all that trouble of moving when you don’t have to.”
“Because as much as I love you, Rain, and the dads, along with the three little turds, I’m eighteen. I want to enjoy life as an adult. To make memories with Bianca and Jonas. I want to live in the dorms, be close to campus, and just be a regular ol’ college student.”
