Page 47 of Loathe at First Sight

“I don’t want to get into it.”

So, I can answer his question, but he doesn’t want to do the same? Alright. Fine.

Guess I’m not the only one around here keeping secrets.

“That’s it?” I scoff. “You’re not going to tell me anything?”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“Nothing? Nothing at all?”

He clenches his jaw. “Nope.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I huff a curt, “Fine.”

sixteen

Like a Dog with a Bone

Jack

Sometimes, I can be a real asshole.

I’m well aware of this fact.

Usually, I’m pretty laid back. In my previous life, I had a ton of anger. I had to with the line of work I was in. Violence was part of the gig. When I came to Lilly Leaf Falls, I told myself I would be different.

I told myself I would let go of all that anger and rage. I would start over and let the small things roll off my shoulders without letting myself get wrapped around the axle.

To do that, though, I would need to move on entirely from my old life. That becomes hard when people like Liz Lawson are asking questions that I don’t want to answer.

Coming into a small town without divulging a lot of personal details about myself was tough. Everyone around here likes a story, but they love a scandal. Everybody was far too eager to glimmer any small detail about me that they could. I kept my nose down, acted friendly, and tried to help people out whenever I could. I guess I won them over because eventually, they just stopped asking questions and adopted me as one of their own.

I don’t know that I’m going to get that lucky with Liz. She seems like the type who isn’t going to stop until she gets the answers she’s looking for. And now that I shut her down, she will probably be even more determined—especially if she can find any dirt that would take the spotlight off of herself.

Maybe I’m thinking about this way too hard. Maybe she really doesn’t give a fuck about me or my past. She might have just been trying to make small talk.

And I flew off the handle.

I just don’t understand Liz Lawson. Not even a little bit. Occasionally, I see glimpses showing me that there’s something underneath the bratty city girl. When we run in the mornings, I think that this is someone I could have some fun with.

But then, she shows that attitude of hers, and I am right back to thinking she’s just a self-entitled brat.

She reminds me of the women I dated back in Miami. Fun to look at it, but underneath it all, they have selfish motives. I let way too many of those women crawl into my bed and fuck with my peace. I'll be damned if I'm going to do it again.

As I drive through the streets of Lilly Leaf Falls, the rain starts to fall once more, I get lost in thoughts of my past. Back then, I loved the lavish lifestyle I had made for myself. The fame and notoriety were just two of the perks of my life. Take that and add it to money, hot women, and partying, and I was in Heaven.

But it doesn't take long for Heaven to turn into Hell.

I refuse to let my happy life here turn into that.

There's no way I will let Liz take away anything that I've built here.

She can ask all the questions that she wants, but she's not going to find shit. The only one around here who knows my secret is Jana, and I sure as hell know that she's not going to tell anyone.

As far as Liz's secrets, I decide to stop asking about them. Maybe if I leave her alone, she will do the same for me.

Probably not, but it's worth a shot.

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