Page 22 of Inked Obsession

“Let’s eat these, and then we’ll work on the next set.”

“Sounds good.”

I got the syrup from the fridge, a kind from Canada that Brenna had gotten me recently and I really only used when she was around. I poured some over my waffles and then handed it to her.

“Looks yummy,” I said.

She scoffed. “Of course, it’s yummy. I made it.”

We dug in, and I let the sweet taste of waffles settle on my tongue. “I think these are the best things you’ve ever made me.”

“You say that every time I cook for you,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m glad you let me cook for you. Lee gets all weird when I show up with waffles, and while Benjamin likes to eat my food, I’ve never actually cooked at his place.”

I frowned. “Really?”

“Really. I settle in here, at my place, and even at Annabelle’s, but Benjamin’s super private.”

I lifted my shoulder in a half-shrug. “That’s my twin for you.”

Her lips quirked into a smile. “It’s funny how different the two of you are, even though so many of your mannerisms are the same.”

“What’s different? Well, you know I’m the pretty one.”

She snorted and nearly choked on her waffles.

I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t know if I appreciate the way you laughed at that.”

“I’m sure you’re gorgeous and the pretty one, but come on, you’re twins. Identical twins.”

“So you’re saying Benjamin’s prettier than me?” I teased.

She rolled her eyes. Things felt normal, like we were back to the way we used to be. And I knew I was the reason for the shift. At least, I thought so. Because I couldn’t tell Brenna what had happened. I’d tried to, but no words came out. I hated that I was hiding things from her, but I didn’t know what to say.Sorry, I was in a shooting and didn’t tell anybody. I got hurt, but I’m okay. And then I watched Brian die, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it.

Everybody had issues, and they were dealing with so much. I didn’t want to be that person. I didn’t want to be the one who changed everything. And yet, I was doing it anyway.

Brenna sighed and set down her fork. “Okay, you and I need to talk.” My stomach clenched.

“Why do you have that shocked look on your face?”

I swallowed hard. “What shocked look?”

“You’re acting as if I’m about to ask you something horrendous. Maybe I am, but we do need to talk, Beckett. Because something’s wrong.”

I let out a breath and said the one thing that would probably get me thrown out of my own house, but I needed to know. “Brenna, you know I love you, just not in the way you might hope.” I blurted the words, wanting to soften the blow. Because I didn’t want to hurt my best friend. I just didn’t feel the same way about her as others thought she felt about me.

She blinked at me and then groaned. “Oh, my God. Really?” She rolled her eyes.

I froze, confused. “What?”

“Did you really just say that you love me but not the way I love you?”

I winced, knowing I had firmly shoved my foot in my mouth. “Well, I wanted to head you off at the pass. I didn’t want to make things awkward.”

She sputtered, hopped off the tall chair, and started to pace my kitchen.

Well, shit. I had done something wrong. It seemed that was all I kept doing when it came to Brenna these days. And once again, it was my fault.

“I don’t love you, Beckett. Not in that way. I realize that everybody in our life thinks that I do, that I have this secret crush that I’m never going to get over. That’s not it. I have things going on in my life that have nothing to do with you. Yes, I may have had a crush on you at one point, but we were much younger then, and then I saw you throw up after you ate too many Jell-O shots, and the love and whatever crush I could have had quickly went away.”

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