Page 17 of All Along

Shit. Maybe I am the same. Maybe I’m still the idiot loser I was in high school.

This is why I have to keep Maya at bay. I’m not the man for her. I’m not good enough for her. She deserves more than a man like me who screwed up when it mattered the most.

Hazel taps the treatment table. “Lay down.”

“I don’t need a fucking nap.”

She crosses her arms over her chest and purses her lips. Shame fills me. I’m treating her like the enemy. She’s not the enemy. She’s trying to help me. Although, it’s hard to remember she’s helping when her ‘help’ feels closer to torture.

“Sorry. I’ll watch my language.”

“Dude. I don’t give a shit about your language. Your attitude, though? It could use an adjustment.”

“Hard to be all happy go lucky when you’re sidelined from active duty.”

“As I recall you were never Mr. Happy Go Lucky but I’d love to watch you try.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Maybe Maya could help you.”

“Don’t go spreading rumors about Maya.”

She rubs her hands together. “But there are reasons rumors could spread? Awesome. I always thought the two of you would make a cute couple.”

This is what happens when you return to your hometown. Everyone knows everybody and is connected somehow. Hazel and I were in the same grade in school together. With Maya and her friends.

“No one thought we’d be a cute couple in high school.”

“Wrong.” Hazel taps her chest. “I did. I love this.”

“Nothing to love. Maya and I aren’t together. I don’t want to see her. Don’t want to see anyone actually.”

“Except me.”

“Because the Army forced me to.”

“Ah. Boo hoo. Is the big bad Army guy afraid of a little therapy?”

She begins to work me through a round of hamstring, quadriceps, and hip flexor stretches.

“Fuck. I thought these stretches were supposed to be gentle.”

“Who lied to you?”

She repositions my hip and I grunt at the pain. My hip automatically fights against her but she doesn’t have any problem keeping me in position.

“How the hell are you this strong?”

“Farmer’s daughter, remember?”

She rattles on as she works me through the stretches. “Dad and Mom were always adamant I work on the farm or at least marry a farmer. Can you say boring? But then my older sister left because she had no interest in living the narrow life theydefined for her. After Scarlett left the island and refused to come back, they lightened up a bit and allowed me to go to college. And now Scarlett’s back on the island full-time.”

“I heard she and Weston are a couple.”

Weston wasn’t in our class in high school. He was a few years older. But I remember him. Probably because he’s the cop who caught me drag racing and threatened to have me jailed until I was too old to drive anymore.

She smiles. “They are. They’re totally in love.”

I frown. I’m happy for her sister and Weston but I can’t help the burn of jealousy in my stomach. Weston has what I want. A loving partner he can spend the rest of his life with. I screwed up any chance I had of being with Maya for the rest of my life.

“I haven’t seen you around Smuggler’s Rest much. You should totally come toSmuggler’s Cove.I work at the restaurant in the evenings. We have the best seafood on the island.”

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