Page 69 of Losing Ansley

"Because you told me you need to finish your lease and work this next season. I didn't think that was an option." He replies. I stare at him, and he runs his hand through his hair. "And to be honest, you've been very agreeable with me lately." He says.

"What? What does that mean?" I ask him. He sighs and looks away for a few seconds before turning back to me.

"You've changed since moving here." He states, and my mouth pops open.

"What?!? No, I haven't!"

"Come on, Ans. You're not as argumentative or snappy. Even in front of Liv and Caroline, you'll do it a little but not as much as you used to." He replies. I plop down on the couch, rubbing my hands over the fabric.

"You always seem so frustrated when I get snappy with you." I express, and he arches an eyebrow.

"Yeah, maybe a little. But then I always wind up fucking you because it turns me the hell on. I love it when you challenge me and tell me to fuck off when I get too controlling." He exclaims, and I bite the inside of my cheek. "I feel like I'm losing the Ansley I fell in love with." He states, and I blink back the tears.

"I was just trying to be perfect for you," I explain, my voice shaking.

"You were perfect just the way you were, and I never asked you to change." He walks over to me and kisses me on my forehead. "I have to go. I'll call you when I get home to check on you." He grabs his bag and leaves as I sit on my couch, staring at my wall. I curl into a ball and lay down, thinking about what he said.

Growing up, I tried hard to be the perfect daughter to capture my parent's attention the same way Dylan caught their attention, which never worked. Nothing I did was ever good enough. Even with Dylan, I tried to be the perfect sister so he'd see me. The real me, but ultimately I hid everything from him so he wouldn't be hurt by how awful our parents really were.

Caroline and Liv see glimpses of me but not the entire story. I still keep things from them even when I shouldn't. But with Lincoln. Lincoln has seen everything. He's seen me laugh so hard I've peed on myself.

I was seven, but still, I was embarrassed. He held my hair back while I threw up after drinking too much alcohol. Not to mention all the times he's made me come over the past several months.

There's a knock at my door, and I practically throw myself at it, but I slump when I see it's Dylan. He chuckles at my reaction.

"Nice to see you too." He comments as I wave him inside and go back to the couch. He closes the door and locks it, then settles down on the other end of the sofa, watching me warily.

"Still not feeling good?" He asks, and I exhale.

"Lincoln and I had an argument," I confess, and he tilts his head.

"About what?" He asks, so I tell him everything. When I get done, he rubs his hand over his neck. "Ans, Lincoln loves you." He states. I'm a little shocked he said that so easily.

"I'm not going to lie when he told me about his feelings for you, it freaked me out, but you two have been through a lot of shit, so it only seems fitting that you'd wind up together. And I've never seen Lincoln happier than when he's with you. Do you drive him crazy? Yeah. But that's what he loves about you. You don't take his shit. He doesn't want you to bend over and be his whipping board." When he gets done, I lean back against the couch and bite my lip.

"Wow, Dylan! That's deep." I tease, and he rolls his eyes.

"Shut up, nugget." I chuckle and shake my head.

"Well, since we're talking all deep and stuff, I have a confession to make," I tell him. He leans forward, putting his elbows on his knees, giving me his full attention. "I hate living here." Saying the words out loud feels like unlocking chains.

Dylan doesn't respond; he nods, giving me the impression that he already knows this.

"Not because I'm away from Lincoln." I pause. "Well, it might be part of that. But the city isn't all I thought it was going to be. I hate the traffic, I hate the noise, and I hate my job. Even before Chad attacked me, I enjoyed the moments I got to design something or mend something but the long hours and not knowing sometimes what hours I'll be working." I stop and take a deep breath studying Dylan's expression.

"I kind of got the vibe you weren't happy here," Dylan replies. "I thought you were staying because you were trying to prove something to Lincoln." He states, and I chuckle.

"Maybe in the beginning. And honestly, at first, I loved this apartment because I finally had something that was cute and mine, but I'm barely here. I never get to enjoy it." I stop talking, pull my legs onto the couch, and hug them to my chest.

"So, you want to move back to Mississippi?" He asks, and I nod. "What will you do there? Work for Lincoln again?" I shake my head and then tell him my plan for the boutique and how I want to start my business. When I'm done, he shakes his head and chuckles.

"Mom and dad were stupid having me as their favorite." He says in irritation, and I scoff. He leans back on the couch and puts his foot on his knee. "Will you accept my help again?" He asks. I watch him for a long moment before thinking.

"Dylan, you already did so much helping me get into this apartment." He's shaking his head before I can finish my sentence.

"All I did was sign the paperwork so you wouldn't have to pay an ungodly amount to move in, and you wouldn't have to sell your Corvette." He tells me, and I sigh.

"Okay. Yes." I reply.

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