Page 115 of Don't Let Me Fall (Don't Let Me 1)

I’m not annoyed. I’m nervous. Like…really nervous. Which is stupid. I have nothing to be nervous about. So, Colt’s meeting my parents. Big deal. It’ll be fine. Totally. Completely. Fine.

Sensing my reservations, Colt tears his attention from the window and touches my hand resting on the armrest between us. Like he knows this is killing me a little bit but is pushing me anyway because it’s what he thinks I need. And in a way, he might be right.

Maybe.

His warmth is soothing. The way he brushes his thumb back and forth against my skin while my anxiety eats a hole in my stomach lining.

“You haven’t been home since Christmas, Ash. I thought it’d be nice to visit your family,” he points out. “Besides, I’ve been wanting to meet them for a while, and since I knew you’d put it off for as long as possible––”

“I wasn’t going to put it off for as long as possible,” I argue, folding my arms.

His thick brow arches. “You sure?”

With another scowl, I turn toward him in the gray leather seat, my defenses still raised. “You know my relationship with my parents is…weird.”

“And I think it’s time we fix it.”

“You make it sound so easy.” My stomach flip-flops as the plane descends toward the runway, and I gulp, peeking out the oval window toward my hometown.

“No, it’s gonna be complicated. But we like complicated, remember?” Colt leans forward and presses a kiss to my temple. “If you're gonna push me to fight for the things I want and to build the future I want, I’m gonna push you to have the relationship you want with your parents. Even when it’s hard. Understand?”

“But what if they don’t want it back, Colt?” I whisper, voicing my fears while hating them more than ever. “A good relationship.”

“Sunshine,” he groans, tugging me closer to him. It’s awkward, thanks to our seatbelts, but I kind of love it too. His desire to comfort me. His need to make things better. To fix things even when they’re out of his control. It means he cares. And I love how he cares.

“Maybe they think your relationship is good,” he argues. “Did you ever think of that? Maybe they don’t know there’s a problem in the first place.”

He’s right. My free-loving parents are definitely oblivious. Probably from all the weed in their systems, but what do I know? It doesn’t make the situation hurt any less.

“That’s even worse,” I grumble against him. “Because if they don’t see the problem, maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the problem.”

“Not true.”

I roll my eyes and pull away from him, but he grabs my chin and forces me to hold his gaze.

“Don’t. Don’t belittle your own feelings because you’re afraid it’ll inconvenience someone else.”

“I’m not––”

“You are,” he interrupts. “I’ve seen you do it plenty of times. From Mia and me to Logan, to your parents. You shoved aside what you needed and put them first. Time and time again.”

“There’s nothing wrong with putting someone else first,” I argue.

“True. But there is something wrong when you’re always the one taking the brunt of it. And since you suck at looking out for yourself, I’m gonna do it for you.” He lets me go and settles back into his seat, proud of himself.

My lips purse. “Colt, I’m fine.”

“There’s nothing wrong with voicing your needs in a relationship, Sunshine. But you put everyone else’s needs before your own, and I’m not gonna let you do it anymore.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

“I’m gonna support you. And I’m gonna push you to stand up for yourself. And when you can’t, I’ll do it for you. I’ll be your voice. I’ll be whatever you need me to be. Understand?”

I glare back at him, but it only lasts for a second. My mouth twitches with a smile. Because he’s cute when he cares. And he’s even cuter when he cares about me.

He grins. “That’s my girl.”

52

---