Page 74 of Unforgettable

“You love Oz,” he adds.

I run my hands over my face, neither confirming nor denying his statement. “I’m going to hate leaving here,” I say. “And if I stay for as long as planned, I won’t ever be able to leave.”

Murph puts his sandwich down on the plate and moves the plate to the floor. Scooting closer, he holds my hands in his. “You could stay, Reeve. Live here. Work here.”

Be with Oz.

He squeezes my hands, imploring me to listen. “You don’t have to go back. You don’t have to be unhappy.”

I knew I didn’t have to be unhappy, but it wasn’t that simple.

The thing with my family was a done deal, this thing with Oz wasn’t.

I couldn’t risk my heart like that again, even if it felt different this time, I wasn’t strong enough to take the plunge.

“What about the lease?” Murph says, trying out a new angle of persuasion. “You can’t just up and leave without giving me notice. I need time to find someone to cover your half of the rent.”

“You know I’ll keep paying for as long as I need to,” I assure him. “I’m like only partially independent, and my mom and dad’s money will save the day if need be.”

He laughed half-heartedly. “Hotcakes, you know it’s not really about the money or the rent.” I watch his throat bob. “I just don’t want you to leave like this.”

I nod solemnly. “I know, but I don’t feel like I have any other choice.”

18

Oz

“Reeve isn’t with you?” Maddy asks as I take my duffel out of the trunk of the car.

“He’s coming down later,” I say somberly. “Said he couldn’t get the afternoon off work.”

I slam the trunk door and come face-to-face with a worried looking Maddy.

“What?” I say a little too harshly.

She places a hand on my chest, stopping me from moving. “Before you get inside and bite everyone’s head off with that attitude, what’s wrong?”

Huffing loudly, I drop my bag to the ground and lean against the back of the car.

I didn’t actually know what was wrong. All I knew was that Reeve was avoiding me, and I had never hated anything more in my life.

“Everything was going so well,” I blurt out, giving Maddy absolutely no context. “We spent the whole day together and it was fucking amazing, and now he’s avoiding me.”

“Avoiding you how?” Maddy asks.

“There’s more ways than one?” I ask stupidly.

“I’m just saying, is it possible he may not show up today?”

I consider it for a millisecond and then shake my head. “He wouldn’t do that to me. He wouldn’t do that to Dixie.”

I know how much Reeve respects and adores my family and how appreciative he is for how welcome they’ve made him feel these last several weeks. He wouldn’t throw that all back in their faces, no matter what’s going on between us.

“Oz,” she says cautiously, leaning next to me on the car. “I told Reeve I wouldn’t interfere—”

I cut her off. “When did you tell him that?”

“The day we went shopping,” she says. “After I made that offhand comment and Reeve freaked out, I apologized. But I also told him that you were both adults and that I would respect your choices.”

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