Page 10 of Fragments of You

“Okay.” I softly touch the gauze to the slice across his lower lip. He doesn’t so much as flinch. “But if my father asks, I did not do this to you.” I kiss the opposite side of his mouth, my stomach twisting when my sister’s face flashes across my vision. I do my best to shake the thought away, even if I’m rather unsuccessful, before continuing with my work.

I’m upset, sure... But, like I said, this little bit of information is the least of my worries considering Nash freaking Ketter just showed up at Felix’s door after being MIA for four years.

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Felix smiles up at me, causing more blood to pool.

“Stop smiling, you’re making it bleed more.”

“Sorry.” He tries to contain his grin but only ends up grinning more.

I want so badly to be mad at him, but for some reason, I can’t seem to find it in me to hold onto the emotion.

“Well, I guess that’s the best it’s going to get,” I finally announce, preparing to step back when he stops me by grabbing my hand, pulling me in even closer.

I drape my hands around his neck, not used to being eye to eye with him, given our height difference.

“Tell me him being back doesn’t change things.” His voice is soft, but there’s no denying the uneasiness in his words.

“Felix Jensen.” I shake my head at him. “You know me better than that. Nash made his choice, and I made mine. I chose you. Him crawling out of whatever hole he’s been hiding in doesn’t change anything for us.”

“You promise?”

I take his face in both of my hands and look him dead in the eye.

“I promise,” I say, pressing a gentle kiss to his mouth.

And while I mean it—Nash showing up here doesn’t change how I feel about Felix—I can’t deny that it does change things, even if I don’t want it to.

“IS EVERYTHING OKAY, hon?” My mom steps up next to me where I’m washing dishes at the sink.

“Yeah, why?” I try to act like the events of today aren’t still sitting on my shoulders like a thousand-pound boulder.

“Because you’re washing dishes when there is a perfectly good dishwasher right next to you. And you’ve always been someone who needs to stay busy when something is bothering you. So spill.” She grabs a hand towel and begins to dry the plates I’ve just rinsed.

“Nash is in town.” I try to keep my voice low, not wanting my father or Felix, who are currently watching a baseball game in the living room, to overhear.

“Wait, what?” she hisses, trying to keep her shocked reaction contained. “And you didn’t say something the second we walked into the door? That’s what happened to Felix’s mouth, isn’t it? I knew better than to believe he walked into a kitchen cabinet. About the least believable cover story I’ve ever heard. But I never imagined...” she rambles, finally falling silent when I turn to meet her gaze. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. No. I honestly don’t know.”

“I take it he wasn’t happy to find out about you and Felix?”

“That’s putting it mildly.” I snort.

“Well, I’m sure it couldn’t have been easy learning that your ex-girlfriend and best friend are planning on getting married.”

“Are you defending him?” I look at my mother like she’s grown a second head.

“After what he did to you, never. I’m just saying, I’m not surprised he took a swing at Felix. Knowing Nash, I’m actually surprised that’s all he did.”

She’s not wrong there. Nash has always been a bit of a hothead. Except with me. With me, he was always so gentle. Sometimes too gentle, like he thought I was made of glass. That is until he dropped me off the side of a cliff and shattered me into a million tiny pieces...

“So why is he here?”

“No idea. He was too busy punching my future husband for me to ask.”

“Do you think he...” She doesn’t finish her thought.

“Do I think he what?” I push her to continue.

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