Page 67 of Forbidden King (Magnolia Falls)

“But?”

“I’m having these feelings, Grammie,” I whispered as I leaned forward.

“What kind of feelings, my boy?”

“I don’t know, that’s the thing. It’s never happened to me before, so I can’t say for sure.” I shook my head, not certain I even wanted to say it aloud. But I was dying inside, and I needed to talk to someone. The guys would all tell me not to go there, and I knew they’d be right.

“Talk to me, Kingston.”

“I’ve been spending a lot of time with Saylor. You know I worked on renovating her bookstore, and Hayes asked me to keep an eye out while he’s gone fighting this wildfire. Sometimes when I’m around her, I just—feel things. Things I shouldn’t feel for my best friend’s little sister, you know?”

Please read between the lines and don’t make me spell it out.

“Ahhhh… she was here yesterday. Do you know that sweet girl comes to see me almost every single day on her way home from work? She brings me a new book or a sun tea from Magnolia Beans or some pretty flowers that she picked along the way. She’s a special one. I understand why you’re struggling, but it’s silly to make this harder than it has to be.”

“I think it’s definitely complicated.”

“Why? You ask women out all the time. You’ve never been shy.”

“Grammie,” I said, gaping at her as I leaned forward and rubbed my hands together. “This is Saylor. She’s not justsome woman. I can’t casually date her. Hayes would cut my—” I paused and thought over my words wisely. “Hayes would have my head.”

She leaned back in her recliner, and a wicked grin spread across her face. “That’s because he doesn’t know the truth.”

“Well, apparently, I don’t know the truth because I don’t know what the fu—what the heck to do with these feelings. So please, enlighten me.”

“Oh, my boy, you really don’t know, do you?”

I threw my hands in the air. “I really don’t. Are you going to quit torturing me?”

“The reason you’re hesitant is because you love her, and that makes everything different.”

I don’t know shit about love. I know that I want to do dirty things to Saylor Woodson. And I know that is wrong.

“That’s old-fashioned thinking, Grammie. I don’t know anything about love when it comes to romantic relationships. But I know that I don’t, er, want to be just friends with her. Does that make sense?”

She chuckled. “I get it, sweetheart. I think you’ve loved Saylor Woodson since she came to stay with us all those years ago. You didn’t act on those feelings because you love her. You’re terrified of love, Kingston. Because you lost the first, most important loves of your life—your parents. You’ve watched everyone you love grieve since you were a toddler. So, you’ve spent your life being easy and happy and keeping things simple, but that wasn’t only to protect us. It was to protect yourself. Your own heart. You knew loss before you knew love.”

“What are we talking about? This is not about love. This is about the fact that I’m uncomfortable because—” I threw my hands in the air in frustration. “Grammie. I can’t sleep with other women because I’m thinking about Saylor. All the fu—freaking time. It’s a physical need. Nothing more. And Hayes would kill me if I acted on it.”

“I disagree.” She shrugged and reached over to grab her teacup and took a sip as if we were discussing the weather and not the shit show that was currently my life.

“You disagree? That’s your answer?”

“Yes. If it were just a physical need, you’d fill it. You’d go out there and do what you do, which you know I don’t agree with. But that’s a chat for a different day. This isn’t physical, Kingston. That’s why you’re struggling.”

I groaned. “I don’t think you understand what this is.”

“And I don’t thinkyouunderstand what this is.” She raised a brow, setting her teacup on the table. “I’ve been around a lot longer than you. I know these things. So I’m going to give you the only advice I know to give, all right?”

I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, as I clasped my hands together. “Okay.”

“Don’t run from it. It’s rare to find someone who affects you like this. Who consumes your mind and your heart. It’s what I shared with your grandfather. It’s what your parents shared. And it’s what River found with Ruby. Don’t run from it, sweetheart.”

This is her advice?

“I was looking for something a little more specific. Like, go ahead and cross the line, and you won’t be a terrible human being who backstabbed his best friend,” I huffed. “Don’t run from it?Come on, Grammie. What the hell does that even mean?”

“Oh, my boy. The joy you bring me is just too much sometimes.” Her head tipped back in laughter. “What I’m saying is trust your heart. It’s telling you something. Don’t cross the line unless you talk to Hayes. Tell him how you feel.”

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