Page 69 of Accidental Fiancé

She took a nervous breath. “I know what happened with Grant Worthington.”

It was like a record scratch ripped through my head. Fucking Chloe. I didn’t know how she knew everything, but she always seemed to. Of course, she knew about my crush. Eighteen-year-old me wasn’t exactly subtle.

“I never meant for you to find out. That was private and not your problem.”

Maggie rolled over to face me. “I think it’s sweet.”

“Sweet?” I asked as I sat up. I was naked, but this was a different kind of exposure. The kind I tried to avoid like the plague. “Maggie, what happened that day?—"

“Whatdidhappen that day? According to you, I mean.”

I rubbed my temples to stall. Lying to Maggie wasn’t an option. “I found out Grant had been the one to go to the principal with that bullshit about you and Mr. Poundstone.”

“So you knew it wasn’t true?”

“Of course.”

“Go on.”

I hated telling her. I’d thought for sure none of it would ever come out, considering how much my mother paid Grant’s family back then. But the NDA only covered him—not Chloe—and after he moved across the country, I thought that would be that.

“It was right after Dad’s funeral, a couple of days out from it. I wasn’t in the best frame of mind. When I found Chloe and Grant smoking behind the cafeteria, I snapped at him, told him to take back what he had said about you and Mr. Poundstone, told him to make it right.”

“What did he say?”

I’d never forget it. “He said, ‘You’re just mad your girlfriend’s a slut.’ Then Chloe handed him one of those loose bricks from the cafeteria expansion project and he swung on me with it.” I pointed to my eyebrow. “After that, all I saw was red. Either from anger or the blood pouring down my face, probably both. Whatever it was, I pounded on Grant until I heard something break, and he screamed. That brought me back to myself.” I felt sick saying the words out loud. “I need you to know, I am not that guy.”

“Jules, I know that,” she said as she cupped my cheek in her hand. “He hit you. He hurt me. He got a man fired. A broken arm is fair payback.”

“When I thought of you suffering because that asshole told a lie, I lost my shit. I was a stupid kid with an unrequited crush, and?—"

“Wait, awhat?” she breathed.

No, no, no, fuck.All these years, all this time, andnowis when it slips out?

I had to get out of there. I grabbed my clothes. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Talk to me, Jules. Please.”

I yanked my shirt over my head. “The fight was not your fault, Maggie. Let me be clear about that. It was my crush, which made it my problem to deal with, and I behaved badly. That’s all on me. Don’t beat yourself up over my stupid decision.”

“I’m not.” But her hollow voice said otherwise. Maggie’s guilt bloomed in front of my eyes.

My heart raced and I felt sick. “This was why I never told you about any of it. I knew you’d blame yourself. Please don’t.”

“I—"

“I’m going for a walk. I’ll be back in a while.” I shut the door behind me and ran outside, desperate for some space.

Chapter 25

Maggie

What the fuck was that?

He had a crush on me back then and I didn't realize it. Too many thoughts flooded my head before washing out with the tide minutes later, and then they were back, over and over again, like the rhythm of the ocean. I felt like I was going down a spiral staircase in my mind at the same time. My body flashed hot and cold. I called the only person I could think of.

When she answered, she said the last thing I expected. “Quiet down, you filthy pig boy. Hello?”

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