Page 57 of Fragments of You

“I just need time.” He throws my words back at me. “You know, to decide if you’re worth any of this.”

His words slice me across the chest like a blade to my flesh.

I take off toward my car without being told another time.

I don’t know how this went south so quickly. But then again, that’s not true, is it? I know exactly what happened... Nash came back. It’s just taken me this long to admit to myself that I’m not as unaffected by his return as I wish I were. I owe it to myself, and to Felix, to figure out what that means.

So even though it breaks my heart to get in my car and drive away, that’s exactly what I do. Praying like hell as I pull away, that I didn’t just open a rift between Felix and me that I’ll never be able to close.

Chapter Fourteen

Paisley

“EARTH TO PAISLEY.”

I jump when a hand waves in front of my face.

“What the...” I turn to find Ashley standing next to me, an amused smile on her face. “Sorry, what?”

“I was asking if you called Dino’s family yet.” She shakes her head. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just a little... distracted.” I swallow past the hard knot in my throat, the one that’s been there since I left Felix’s yesterday.

He hasn’t answered a single call or text, not that I can blame him. What was I thinking saying what I said? I feel like maybe I had been possessed and a demon was speaking through me. It’s the only explanation as to why I just spat in the face of a man who has done nothing but love me, despite everything.

But if that were true, then that would mean that I didn’t mean what I said, and as hard as it is for me to admit, I did mean it. I hate myself for it, but it doesn’t change the facts.

“I can see that.” She chuckles softly. “Everything okay?”

“Define okay.” I sigh heavily, turning away from the computer in front of me to face her fully.

“Let me guess, it has something to do with a certain blue-eyed hottie that recently resurfaced?”

“Something like that,” I grumble.

“So what happened?”

“I don’t think I could explain it if I tried.”

“Well, considering I just saw you Monday and you seemed fine. I’m guessing it’s pretty big.”

“You could say that.”

“Don’t leave me in suspense here. What happened?”

“Nash,” I state flatly. “Nash happened.”

“Okayyyy.” She draws out. “You gotta give me more than that.”

“He’s got me so messed up, Ash. Like, I feel like I’m losing my mind. I tell myself not to think about him and somehow, he’s all I can think about. Most of the time I’m trying to convince myself that I don’t care, only to be forced to admit that I do. And now, everything is just so messed up.” The tears I’ve yet to shed tickle my eyelashes, threatening to finally spill over.

“Come now.” She touches my bicep, giving me a reassuring pat. “Things can’t be that bad.”

“You sure? Because I told Felix I needed time to figure some things out where Nash is concerned.”

“Oh shit. How did that go?”

“About as well as you could expect. He basically told me to go pound sand and kicked me off his property.”

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