Page 15 of Wildest Dreams

And that's when I hear the front door slam.

I turn to look in that direction and see Aspen, my mom and Dixie.

My vicious words splinter across her face and my heart drops from my chest, plummeting into the darkest depths.

I'm such an asshole.

My dad just gives me a hard pat on the chest as if to saywell done jackassand I feel like the worst fucking possible human ever.

He walks over to Dixie, taking a fussing Lainey off her and disappears into the kitchen. My mom shakes her head in a disappointed manner and Aspen can't even look at me.

My chest tightens, my heart aches.

“Dix... I...”

She holds her hand up and lifts her nose in the air as she follows my mom and dad into the kitchen, and all that's left is Riggs.

Fighting a smirk, hands fisted into his back pockets, he lets out a low whistle.

“Man,” he chuckles, “you fucked up.”

“Don't I know it,” exasperation coats my tone and then it's just me, standing alone in the lobby.

Cleaning up for dinner,I am showered and dressed in cargos and a tee. The atmosphere has been tense. Mom and dad haven't spoken a word and Dixie has been hidden in her room.

I'm not an asshole guy, I am a good guy. Was always told that.

It's not you it's me.

You're a really nice guy.

You're too nice for me.

You’re too good for me.

I scrub my face. Messing my hair up, I pace into the hallway just as Dixie walks out. Waves of anxiety lap against the ocean blue of her eyes, fingers curled around the baby monitor and I watch as her knuckles slowly turn white from her death grip.

“I... I...” she stammers, and I step forward, holding my hand up.

“You don't need to say a word,” I roll my lips and I ignore the ache that is still radiating through my chest hours on. “I was out of line.”

She shakes her head, long brown curls masking her face for a moment. “You have every right to be angry with me, I have turned up like an unwanted hurricane, shredding your life topieces after leaving ten years ago...” she pauses, anchored to the spot outside her room. “I'm only here for a while, then I’ll be back on my way,” and with that she walks downstairs.

I wanted to say so much more to her, but I didn't.

I admitted I was out of line, but if I kept talking, I would have dug myself a hole. Then I would have buried myself alive, slowly suffocating.

Waiting a beat, I follow her down.

Mom had spent most of the afternoon cooking a brisket for dinner and the whole house smelt amazing. My stomach grumbles and that’s when I realized I hadn’t eaten a bite today, I have purely survived on coffee.

A clamber has me jumping and I see Pacey stumble through the front door.

“Pace?” my eyes scan over my baby brother and I can't work out if he is drunk or sober.

“Yup,” he looks around with a squint, fingers gripped round the doorknob.

“You okay?” I ask and he sneezes loudly.

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