Page 67 of Finding Delaware

Letting go of my bike, I whirl on him, planting my hands on his shoulders to shove him back and away from me. “What the fuck do you want, Taylor?”

He slips on the ice, falling flat on his ass with anoomph, and when he looks up at me in surprise…

I forget to breathe. To think. For an instant, when his ocean eyes meet mine, it’s like all the years between us are gone. I’m back in that pool, thrusting into his hand while he places kisses all over my lips and neck.

“Just wanted to say hi, man,” he grumbles as he slowly pulls himself to his feet, and I gape at him, taken aback.

“You just wanted to say hi.” It comes out slowly, my voice leaden with disbelief, because is he fucking serious? “You just wanted to say hi?!” I step into him, curling my lips over my teeth in a sneer. “That’s really all you wanted to say to me after all this time?”

His jaw tightens as his eyes jump over my face, and I can’t help but notice the scar on his brow is less prominent now. Still noticeable but faded. Still complimenting his features. The midday sun glints off an ear piercing, which catches my attention briefly. But he says nothing in all these seconds I’ve had to make these little observations. Of course. Did I expect anything less?

With a scoff, I glare in disgust before returning to grab my bike.

“You broke your rule,” he shouts after me when I hit the backyard. “No fighting in Delaware, remember?”

I grind down on my molars as I force my legs to keep moving forward before I go back there to beat his ass. “Fuck you, Taylor.”

Once in the garage, I pull out my phone to text Logan.

Me: Did you tell Taylor I was gonna be here today?

I don’t know why he would. That makes no sense. He responds within seconds.

Logan: No?

Another angry growl works its way from my throat, and I shove open the door into the kitchen where Dad sits at the island, Maisie setting food on its surface.

“Did you invite Taylor over?” I ask sharply, trying to reign in my rage. They don’t know that he was the one who opened the curtain at prom. At least, I’ve never told them. Doubtful Taylor did, either.

Maisie’s eyes darken, and she frowns as she sits beside Dad. “He just showed up.”

Something in her tone tells me that this isn’t normal for him and that he’s not welcome, which makes me pause. Despite how terrible of a person Taylor is...this is his mother. Pity is the last thing I want to feel for him, but I’m not heartless. As I’m looking at this house for the first time with adult eyes, it’s eerie how there’s no trace of Maisie’s son to be found here. But then again, maybe I just don’t know the whole story.

I sit across from them, and the backdoor opens as Maisie dishes some pasta salad onto my plate. All three of us look up as Taylor’s eyes run over my dad before landing on me, completely bypassing his mother. A snapback rests backwards on his head, and he slowly pulls off his leather gloves before stuffing them into his jacket pocket.

My attention catches on the heavily tattooed skin at the backs of his hands and fingers.

Hmm. I bet they look good wrapped around his cock—

What. The. Hell.

No.

Shut up, brain.Shut up, shut up, shut up.

I amnotgoing to think of Taylor fucking Tottman in that way. Not anymore.

I can feel his eyes on my face, but refuse to meet them, instead focusing on the food in front of me. Rather than sitting down, he leans back against the counter and folds his arms, watching us eat. A tense atmosphere thickens the air.

Eventually, breaking the silence, he clears his throat and moves his irritatingly heavy gaze from me to my dad. “How are you feeling?”

I resist the urge to scoff and roll my eyes.

“I’ve been better,” Dad answers politely with a strained smile, and Taylor nods.

“I’m sorry to hear.”

To his credit, he sounds genuine, at least. More awkwardness follows.

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