Page 139 of Only With Me
“That was one time!” Wilder defends. “And how was I supposed to know you were actually gonna tell her? You dragged your feet for so long, she got married and knocked up six months later.”
Waylon leans down closer. “Don’t listen to him.”
Wilder rolls his eyes, then looks at me. “Wait, I thought y’all started talkin’ in that group chat first?”
Waylon visibly stiffens next to me and my heart races at his reaction.
“What’re ya talkin’ about?” I ask Wilder, leaning toward him.
“Jake told me y’all were in the horse club group chat together. I assumed y’all started talkin’ through there.”
“Wilder, shut up,” Waylon demands through clenched teeth.
I’ve never seen him act this way toward his brother.
I nudge Waylon to grab his attention. “What’s he talkin’ about? You were in Jake’s group chat?”
There’s no way. Jake never introduced him.
Waylon’s gaze lowers as stress lines cover his forehead. “I was gonna tell you after this,” he mutters softly.
“Tell me what?” I ask, but I already have a sneaking suspicion and it’s going to piss me off. “You’re the one who told me I had poison ivy, aren’t you? The one who told me about havin’ a vitamin K deficiency?”
He nods.
I push my chair back. “We texted for a month and then you stood me up at the cafe!”
“Harlow, lemme explain…” He reaches for my hand, but I stand out of his reach.
“Youfooledme!”
He stands, covering me from his siblings’ views. “I was gonna tell you this afternoon, I promise. I’ve been tryin’ to but there was never a good time.”
“It doesn’t matter now because our relationship is based on lies.” I push against his chest when he tries coming closer, and then I walk away, storming through the doors until I’m outside.
Jokes on me now because my truck’s all the way on the other side of the ranch.
A moment later, Ellie calls out my name behind me.
“Harlow, wait!” She catches up to me. “I’ll drive you.”
Tears fill my eyes, and I quickly wipe my cheek. “Thank you.”
She leads me to her truck and once we’re buckled in, she starts it. For a minute, it’s silent between us, but then she glances over at me.
“I know my situation ain’t exactly the same, but Landen and my relationship didn’t start out with the truth either.”
“How so?” I ask, keeping my gaze low as I fight the urge to burst out crying.
“I hated him for four years before I lost my memory in a barrel racing accident.”
I vaguely remember that from two years ago, but I was never in their circle to know the details.
“But when I forgot him, I realized I liked him. He was so kind and attractive, I couldn’t fathom why I hated him.”
“Did you figure it out?”
“Oh yeah…after I was deeply in love with him, too. So that sucked.”
