Page 94 of Fall I Want
I breathe him in, losing myself in the moment, wishing the song would last forever. After a few minutes, it ends. He twists me one final time and lets me go. He’s charming and has it down to a science.
“Thanks for pulling my mind away,” I say.
“Anytime.” He unlocks his phone and types something, then shoves it back into his pocket. He reads me like a book and memorizes each page.
“How’d you know I needed it?” I whisper as he stands close.
“I could feel you shutting down. Don’t push me out,” he says, hooking his finger with mine.
And he’s right. My head is still swimming.
“I should’ve walked with you.”
“No, I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asks with a brow popped. “Because I don’t think I’ll ever let you out of my sight again.”
I grow quiet, squeezing my eyes tight for a brief moment.
“Zane,” I hear from behind us, and it’s Harper. She uses the sidewalk as her runway as she struts toward us like a supermodel. I’m blown away by how beautiful everyone in his family is.
“Are you not staying for dinner?” Harper asks, confused.
“No. I won’t be around Sebastian Holmes and neither will Autumn.”
Harper glances between us. “What piece of information am I missing? You two were friends. You competed together for years.”
“That’s Autumn’s cheater ex. It’s a hard fucking no.”
My mouth slightly parts as I suck in air. “What? Is that true? Confirmed?”
Everything freezes.
Zane turns his full attention to me. “I’m sorry. Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Old memories flood in. There were countless late nights when Sebastian came home and immediately showered, but I could still smell the alcohol on him.
Julie encouraged me to hire a private investigator, but I didn’t. It was almost better not knowing, that way I could continue livingin delulu land. What I don’t know couldn’t hurt me and my love for him made me pathetic.
Zane turns to Harper, straightening his stance. “I won’t watch him eye fuck her all night.”
How many lies had Sebastian fed me that I stupidly swallowed down?
“Can I give you a hug?” Harper asks, pulling my thoughts back to them.
I nod and she squeezes me tight. She smells like citrus and sugar.
“I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
“No, no need to apologize. You didn’t know,” I say, sucking in cool air, trying to ground myself.
She focuses back on me and I realize her eyes are the same color as Zane’s. The color of their mother’s. “Things are turning around for you, and soon you’ll be happier than you ever imagined, so don’t let this get you down, okay? Don’t get lost in your head about the past. Your heart is on the correct path. You know what you want and what’s right. Don’t be afraid to fight for it.”
“Is this one of your predictions?” I ask.
She grins wide. “Oh, Zane told you?”
“Yeah,” I say, meeting her eyes, wanting to ask her a million questions.
