Page 56 of Those Heartbreak Scars

I wish I could tell him. But Gray will lose his job, and Everett will lose an agent that will do everything in his power to get him whatever he wants. Everett deserves so much more.

“I’ve accepted it,” she says, as Everett hops the curb in blue jeans and a camo jacket. A gray T-shirt is stretched out over hiscarved physique. “I’m not going to spend any more time wishing things were different. I’m sorry that our breakup impacts your friendship too. But I’m going to the waterpark. You’re coming. Right?”

“Do I have a choice?” I chuckle even though I don’t feel happy. She sounds so excited.

“Ready?” Everett’s all smiles this morning. The stress from yesterday’s events has melted away.

“You look happy. How’s your pops?”

“Better.” He leans in to press his lips to my cheek. He smells like a million dollars. His fingers cup the curve of my butt and squeeze affectionately. “Grumpy but behaving himself.”

“Is that him?” Indy’s voice brightens. “Put him on the phone so I can say hi.”

Oh crap. I forgot I was still on the phone.

“I don’t think so.” I roll my eyes. Shake my head when she starts hollering for his attention and he puts his hand out for the device. There’s no point encouraging either of them.

“Party pooper.” She lets out a disappointed breath. “At least invite him to the waterpark.”

“I’ve got to go.” And tell a sweet man that I won’t see him anymore. Hurt him. Lie to him if he asks for specifics. I told Gray I wouldn’t, but I can’t do that to Everett. He’s been good to me. And I care about him. I can only try to keep Gray’s name out of it.

“I’ll send you the details,” she tells me before I can hang up.

“Indy?” He wraps his arms around me and brings me in for a hug. He really does smell ridiculously good.

His hug is so tight that I start to soften. “Yeah. She’s planning some trip for the summer. We’re going to the Dells. It’s in Wisconsin. It has all these awesome waterparks.”

“I love waterparks, Lucky Charm. And I would love to meet your fam, and friends.”

They would love him. His energy, and his affection for me. I wish I felt the same. Maybe with time I could have… but even if I gave him that time, I wouldn’t be ready to take him home yet. I extricate myself from his arms, wrapping my own around my waist.

I can’t chicken out again. “We should talk.”

“Right. Okay. I knew this was coming.” He joins me when I take a seat on the stoop. “You heard what my mom said when you walked out yesterday.”

I brush an imaginary crease from my pants, then do it again. And again. “I did, but—”

“It’s not how it sounded.” He clasps my hand, forcing me still. He holds it in his lap. “You have to believe me. It’s not because you’re black.”

“No?” That’s good. That’s something. “Just a slutty tart then?”

He laughs, until he notices the look on my face. He grows serious. “My mom doesn’t think you’re a… slutty tart.”

“Then what?” Because she definitely thought something with the way she kept looking at me. Not that it matters. It doesn’t change anything. But I want to know.

His eyes are full of sincerity. “I have never taken a girl to meet my mom.”

“Never?” Surely in high school or—

“No.” He smiles again as he leans in and brushes my hair over my shoulder so that he can bring his lips to my ear. “Not ever. You’re special to me, Lucky Charm.”

My heart squeezes, and I feel sick. How much easier would it be if I could love him instead of Gray? If I could just stop, let this decade old crush go. Stop believing that under all the pain and mess and confusion there’s a man worth fighting for. Someone worth risking my heart on. But even if I could… even if I tried… there’s no way Everett will want to be with me once I tell him that I’ve been seeing another man at the same time I’ve been dating him.

“I don’t have a good track record,” he says. “Your friend Gray probably told you that. If not, he should have.”

“He may have said something.” I steal my hand away.

“He’s a good friend to watch out for you.”

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