Page 46 of Always

“That’s true,” I acknowledge.

“So…what do we do now?”

“You have to figure that out for yourself, Skye. I can’t help you.”

“But you just—”

“I just got lucky on a hunch. Most self-professed control freaks aren’t actually control freaks. For example, you don’t micromanage.”

“How do you know?”

“Addison wouldn’t have let you.”

“Since you brought her up—”

“Nice try.” My lips tremble as I try not to laugh. “We’re not talking about me yet.”

She huffs. “Fine.”

“You also didn’t change yourself or your situation for me.”

“I would never do that.”

“That’s exactly my point. You are who you are. You don’t change yourself to control the situation.” I pause. Then, “Let me ask you something.”

“Okay.”

“Were you attracted to me from the beginning?”

“Of course.”

“A true control freak would have attempted to manage my impression of her. You didn’t do that.”

She cocks her head.

“Did you want to sleep with me that first night?” I ask.

“Of course!”

“But you didn’t.”

“No, I—”

“See what I mean?”

“But I was controlling the situation.”

“No, you weren’t. You gave up something you wanted that youcould have had. How is that being in control?”

“It was… It was too soon.”

“According to whom?”

“I don’t know. According to the rules I set in my own head?” She laughs nervously.

“Bingo. That’s your illusion of control—those rules in your head. But that’s not what makes a true control freak. You control only yourself. A control freak takes charge of others.”

She drops her jaw. Is this actually news to her?

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