Page 92 of Green Flag
This was the oddest rejection.
That I had initiated.
Fuck, why had I said that? What had I expected? For him to say no, let’s keep it going forever?
That way, if he did want to get with Livie, he could—
But, really, I knew he didn’t.
Surely, it was normal to react like this to him staying in another woman’s room? Right? If we were together…
I’d trust him.
Fuck, I trusted this man.
And he was right — I never normally cared what people thought of me. This had just hit an almost healed nerve.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted. The words were as much of a surprise to me as they were him.
“What?”
“I’m sorry,” I said again, slower, meaning every syllable. “I’m under construction and I’m trying to be a better person and…”You’re who I’m basing that person on because you are truly good.“I know you were doing something to help your friend. I don’t understand, and I don’t need to, but…” I took a deep breath. “I just wish you’d considered how this would look for the two of us. And I’m embarrassed.”
I refused to be like my father, unable to talk through his feelings.
With Luca I was safe to.
He wrapped me up in his arms, brushing my hair back. “Everly Bacque, I would never mean to hurt you. You know that, right?”
I nodded. “I think so.”
“I’m telling you,” he stressed and squeezed me harder. “It’s a fact. Not an opinion. I’m so sorry that this put us in an awkward situation. I’m sorry I worried you.”
I melted in his hold, reaching around his back, uncaring that his leathers were permanently cold.
And the texts I’d sent last night flashed in my mind. Pedro and I had ended up in a manipulative dance of words, which made Luca’s next words sting far more.
“Shall we just love each other really hard over the next race?” he asked. “Squash any rumours.”
A throat clearing pulled me from him, but he kept me in his arms.
“Sorry to interrupt you two,” said a tall woman, her dark brown skin nearly matching the deep hue of her headscarf. She smiled politely. “Luca, point me in the direction of our pit box?”
Ourpit box?
“You got here fast,” Luca laughed and, still keeping me attached, walked us back down the tunnel. “I wasn’t expecting for you to get here until next week.”
She shook her head. “I’m going to need to be on the ground,” she said with a nod. “I wasn’t far and your dad requested one of the planes for the rest of the American races.”
Luca’s eyes snapped to mine.
Fuck. This could be… this could beit.
When Pedro had been caught in Spain, it had been on the return of a flight from Texas, where next week’s race was.
“What about our plane?” Luca asked. “Did Nix and Livie—”
“No, no, they took Nix’s plane. Ours is on some form of tech drop off.”
