Page 127 of Fair Catch

“You know you could’ve called me. Told me what was going on,” he murmurs in a gruff whisper. “We would’ve gotten you in here last week if that were the case.”

I shake my head immediately and clear the emotions clogging my throat. “I can’t just lean on you all the time, Phoe. That’s what this whole break was about in the first place.”

“Leaning on a friend to help you during a heartbreak isn’t the same thing as all the toxic shit that was happening before,” he argues, though it comes out more pleading than anything. “Just because you need help every once in a while doesn’t mean you’re dependent on me. There’s actually such a thing as hyper-independence, and that’s not healthy either.”

My therapist mentioned that at one point, telling me that it can be a direct reaction after breaking out of a codependent cycle like ours. I thought I was doing a good job to keep that from happening, making sure I still allowed myself to accept help when it was offered.

But seeing as how difficult it was to accept his and Holden’s last week, I guess that isn’t the case.

“I’m still working on it, clearly. I just don’t want to go back to how it was before. The toxic part, at least.”

“Yeah, I get that. I don’t either. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about your happiness or want to see you get everything you deserve. We just…”

“Need to find balance,” I finish for him with a somber smile.

“Exactly,” he murmurs. His eyes lock with mine for a moment, and I swear, I know the question in his head before it ever leaves his lips. “Do you wanna talk about what happened with Hayes?”

I don’t, but I know I need to get some of it off my chest before I implode.

Dropping my focus to my bedding, I pick at the stitching and do my best to recount my run-ins with Hayes’ mother in a condensed version. “Basically his parents don’t think we’re a good fit, but not because of anything I’ve actually done or said. At least, not on purpose?” Blowing out a sigh, I shake my head and say words that taste acidic on my tongue. “They see me as some poor kid who only wants to use him for his money or distract him from his true potential. They even offered me twenty-grand to break things off with him.”

“Okay,” he says slowly, attempting to piece together how we’ve ended up here. “I’m assuming you told them to shove it where the sun don’t shine?”

“Absolutely, I didn’t even bat an eye at the check. But then they threatened to cuthimoff instead. Including from their family business that he’s planned his entire life around taking over.”

“Shit,”Phoe mutters, shaking his head. “So that’s why you left.”

“I told him first, but yeah. And then I ripped the check to shreds and sent it back to them.”

His jaw drops, eyes widening in shock. “You didn’t.”

“Of course I fucking did. I don’t give a shit about his money, or yours, or anyone else’s for that matter. I went without it for a good chunk of my life, and there’s no reason I couldn’t continue that way. The only thing I wanted was him, but I couldn’t just let him leave it all behind for me.” My throat catches when I look up at him, my voice full of gravel when I whisper, “I couldn’t be the reason someone missed out on their dreams all over again.”

It takes him a second to realize I’m not just talking about Hayes.

After all, the reason my best friend is here is because of me, and the fucked up, codependent web we were tangled in.

Shaking his head, he utters, “I hope you know I’ve long since moved past choosing Leighton instead of Foltyn. And honestly, it’s not to say that I wouldn’t have ended up here in the end anyway from missing your sorry ass too much from the other side of the country.”

I snort, not believing that for a second. “You and I both know that isn’t true.”

“We don’t, actually. My therapist tells me I have a little bit of a hero complex, always needing to be needed. To do the saving.” His lips quirk when he notices my surprise about the therapist comment. “You aren’t the only one who’s been working on yourself, you know. And it doesn’t take a genius to see how much you’ve grown, even from a distance. So I’m thinking maybe it’s time we both give ourselves, and each other, a bit more credit.”

“I think you’re right,” I whisper in agreement.

“Does that mean this break is over? Because I’d really like my best friend back.”

My lips twitch into a bittersweet smile as I nod, hating that the person who helped me grow enough to get my best friend back is now the one I’m missing instead.

“As long as you don’t make me sit through your favoriteFriendsreruns to celebrate.”

He chuckles. “I wouldn’t dare. That form of torture is reserved for Holden now.”

“Oh, thank God. If that’s all it took to get me out of watching that damn sitcom, I would’ve told you to get a boyfriend years ago.”

“See,” he says, grinning. “If anything, I should be thanking you. If I never came here, I’d never have met Holden, and then you’d be stuck watchingFriendswith me for the rest of our codependent lives.”

Shooting him a playful grimace, I tease, “Well, in that case, you’re welcome.”

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