Page 52 of Choosing Forever
“One I always get when Sasha’s involved.”
Just hearing her name hurts. It’s a sucker punch to the chest, winding me as I strain with the urge to shut down and run away.
As if sensing that, Bryce slows back to a regular pace and softens her voice slightly. “Take the donuts to Daisy. She’ll be chomping at the bit for them by now.”
I straighten, sending her a sharp look. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to see if I’m right.”
“About . . . Sasha doing something?” I ask, hating the way her name sounds.
“What I feel for her isn’t very pro-woman, Delaney. She’s a happiness-sucking leech who I have no doubt showed up here and started something with Darren just because she wanted to be an asshole to him in front of his friends. Maybe I’m wrong and Darren just skipped off to take a piss, but I want to check for myself before joining everyone again.”
“I can always hit her over the head with the donut bucket,” I blurt out.
My eyes flare wide as Bryce whips to the side, her mouth parting around a shocked laugh.
“I think I forgot how fun you can be, Della.”
It’s an innocent comment that sparks something in me that I’ve yet to distinguish. Something that nearly tugs loose a version of myself that I thought I’d lost. I’ve felt hints of it over the last year, starting when Daisy moved back to town and all but held my hand as I was invited into the group of her, Bryce, Anna, and Poppy. It’s grown over the months and is now almost encouraging me to open up further.
“I think I did too,” I admit on a weighted breath.
Bryce’s eyes lower to the bucket of donuts before rising. “I’m offering you an out because we care about you. Today’s about fun. Not drama.”
I should ask her to clarify who she means by “we,” but instead, I pop the lid off the bucket and get us each a donut.
Bringing mine to my mouth, I say, “You’re not going alone. I’ll risk it.”
17
TWELVE YEARS AGO
DARREN
“Areyou just going to stand there, or are you going to help me pack?”
Elle stands at the end of her bed, staring down at me. With the firm mattress beneath my back, I hang my head off the edge and palm the back of her knee, ushering her closer. She lurches forward, knees bracketing my face.
I grin and turn my neck to kiss her soft skin. “I much prefer lying right here.”
“Darren,” she groans, nose twitching with the effort to hide her amusement. “Help me.”
“Well, when you ask me so sweetly . . .”
“How are you so relaxed right now? I leave in two weeks.”
The energy shifts, my stomach souring. I grip her a little tighter, like I’m trying to keep her from slipping away. It’s a natural reaction made worse by our upcoming break.
Fuck that break. It’s a mistake, but we’re already too far into it now to change our minds.
“I’m not relaxed, baby. I’m just trying not to waste my timewith you worrying about what’s coming. Two weeks are going to fly by,” I explain.
Her expression drops, sadness leaking into her eyes. She pulls back only to drop onto the mattress beside me. The moment her fingers find my hair, pushing it back from my forehead, I shut my eyes.
“I’m scared, Darren.”
I open my eyes again and twist onto my side so I can peer up at her. Her small hand is soft and smooth in mine when I take it and link our fingers on her lap.
