Her brow furrowed as her eyes shifted, taking in the excitement on my face. “Yeah,” she said slowly, making the word sound like a question.
“I knew when I woke up that he was Bree’s boyfriend.” Just as quickly as my excitement had slammed into me, hesitation warred. “He’s Bree’s boyfriend, right?”
“Yeah.” The word dragged from her on a hushed laugh. “You’ve seen plenty of evidence of that since you woke up. But he’s been her boyfriend for years—longer than I’ve known you.”
“How long?” I asked impatiently, ignoring theevidencecomment because I really didn’t want to think about what my sister did with anyone. “Because from what I remember, she met him not long after she started at San Diego State.”
Scarlet’s gaze drifted for a second as she nodded. “That sounds like what I’ve heard.”
“And I remember that,” I said, not realizing until I pulled her closer that I’d never released my hold on her.
In an instant, I was acutely aware of how close we were. Of how she smelled. Of the way she looked and was looking at me.
Like she’d been craving this. Like she’d been afraid she’d never have this again.
I dropped her arm and rocked back a step before I could do something insane—like let myself get lost in her a little longer. Wonder what those mesmerizing lips of hers would feel like until I gave in and found out...
It didn’t occur to me until she lowered her head to hide the pain on her face that I already knew.
Somewhere.
Someotherme.
I cleared my throat and swallowed the building apology, then looked to my parents’ house again. “I remember Bree and Konrad—I’verememberedthat. And what I remember with Harper was from that same time,” I explained instead.
Her tone was all pain and hesitation when my name fell from that goddamn mouth. “Chase...”
“You all can’t keep telling me there isn’t truth in what I remember.” I slanted a warning look her way in time to see her press her lips firmly together as if forcing herself not to let her thoughts slip free. “And you know it. I can see that.”
That pain cut deeper in her eyes as her head moved in fast, subtle shakes. “You don’t know what you’re seeing.”
“Then what are you keeping from me?” I demanded when she started for the house, and she whirled on me.
“It was a coma-induced dream, Chase,” she seethed, voice trembling through its severity. “You’re waiting for me, or someone, to tell you you’re right, but there was never anything between you and Harper.”
I grabbed her hand and squeezed it before she could move. “Do you feel this?” I asked, then hurried to add, “Physically. Do you feel me touching you?” When her brow just furrowed, I took a step closer, unable to help myself. “I can still feel her. I know what she feels like against me.”
“Stop,” she pleaded, trying to pull her hand free and tightly closing her eyes when I went on.
“I can still smell her like I just spent a night holding her. I know what she sounds like when she’s yelling at me and when she’s whispering my name.”
“Jesus, Chase,stop,” Scarlet cried.
I searched her creased expression and watched as a lone tear slipped down her cheek.
And there was that terrible feeling again. Like I hated Scarlet for being the reason I’d lost my life and hated myself for hurting her. Like I would do anything if it would take her pain away.
My chest ached and my muscles twitched with the need to pull her closer.
I let her go instead. Taking a step away as I said, “You can’t tell me it was a dream when I remember everything about her.”
“Remember everything about who?”
I glanced to the side to see my sister and Konrad standing there. Konrad looked disappointed and worried as his gaze shifted from me to Scarlet. Breanna looked pissed off as she glared at me, hand on her hip, waiting for a response.
“You know exactly who I’m talking about,” I said, daring either of them to keep up the lies after what I’d just realized.
“Kinda hope I don’t,” Bree shot back.