Page 69 of All Our Secrets

It was around ten in the morning, and the sun was out. Her blush was impossible to miss, but she shrugged and focused on the road before us. “I came to terms with something recently.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. A person can’t change the way they feel. Sure, emotions can fade if you distance yourself, but at the same time, I think they multiply. That denial feeds the beast more. So I decided to face it.” She smacked her palms together. “Scratch the itch, because that’s all it is. Sadness, happiness, anger… love andlust.It all comes and goes, right?”

I wished I wasn’t driving so I could focus on her while she spoke. “I think you want things to be that easy,” I told her after a lengthy pause. “My life would be a lot different if what you said was true.”

“What do you mean?”

I turned up the volume and grinned. Effectively ending the conversation.

I had a week to get closer to Peyton. I couldn’t fuck it up.

Chapter Thirty:

jealousy

Peyton

Sheesh. The entire gang had arrived before us. To be fair, I was the only one with a baby. Gavin and his wife, Janet, had two kids, but they were seven and five. Silas dropped T.J. and me off at the hotel entrance while he parked.

We must not have been too far behind everyone, since most of our friends were still in the lobby. I smiled at Sarah as I approached.

“Looks like we all showed up at the same time.” Her words confirmed my guess.

“It looks like it,” I agreed. “I should probably go book a room.”

Sarah frowned. “About that…”

“You can’t afford the suite,” Jared was saying. I peeked around Sarah to see who he was talking to. Becky. Right. They were cousins. “Stay in our room. Mandy doesn’t care.”

“I heard Devin say King was on his way. I’m sure I can room with him,” she said.

My teeth clamped together like I was a dog and someone was trying to stealmybone.

“Uh-oh,” Sarah whispered. There was a twinkle in her eyes.

I huffed. “What?”

“What are you going to do?” she asked.

“One room is all that’s left?” I asked, avoiding the question. It was safe to say Sarah knew where my head was at better than I did.

“Yeah. A suite. Oh, and by the way, King needs a room too.”

“He didn’t book one ahead of time?”

“Last second… like someone else.”

Itwasshocking that Silas had come. He never had before. What was different this year?

“Here he comes,” Sarah whispered. She nudged my shoulder, then walked away.

Silas approached me just as Becky advanced on him. “Did you book a room already?” I called out to him, briefly clashing gazes with Becky as she slowed.

He wheeled my suitcase with his satchel slung over his shoulder. I couldn’t help but notice how his dark beard was a nice contrast against his white shirt.What would it feel like against my skin?

“No.”

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