Page 55 of Finding Their Place

“From your expression, I’m taking it the news knocked your world off its axis,” I murmured, my empathy rising and making me want to wrap him up in my arms and cuddle the hell out of him. “I’m sorry.”

Wyatt blew out a heavy exhale. “Yeah.”

All his confidence had melted away, and strangely, I didn’t get pissed as Haley threaded her fingers through his hair like she did whenever I needed her.

“I was adopted too,” I spewed out what very few people knew. “Well…kind of.”

Haley glanced at me, and the tenderness in her eyes sent an ache through my chest. I couldn’t say why I had shared that part of me with a near stranger, but it had felt right.

Necessary, even.

Wyatt held my gaze without heat, without suspicion for the first time since we’d faced off in the doorway. It was like we saw each other beyond the surface. He and I experienced the same hurt, the life-altering kind that had made me feel like I stood on shaky ground.

Warmth spread through me as we stared at one another—not lust, but something…more.

“I’m a product of rape,” I blurted out the rest of my shit truth because I wanted—needed him to understand that I felt his pain on a deep level.

Wyatt blinked at my blunt statement, but I went on before he could decide what he should say if anything at all.

“My mom killed herself when I was six months old, and my grandparents raised me. They never hid the truth from me, and when I turned thirteen, they allowed me to read her suicide note.”

“Fuck,” Wyatt muttered, shaking his head, his blue eyes full of empathy like he wanted to drag me into his arms and hold me like he did Haley.

Even though somberness had flooded the living room, my heart beat a little bit faster.

“Yeah. She couldn’t handle the sight of me. I was a daily reminder of her pain and emotional suffering.”

“Christ—I don’t even know what to say.”

There wasn’t anything good anyone could reply with to that sort of a truth bomb, but talking about my origins didn’t bring on the pain it used to.

“Do whatever you need to get answers to your questions, Wyatt,” I said, still holding his stare, wishing I could reach out and touch him. Connect physically like I was sure we’d done emotionally with just a few shared words. “What you find might suck, but I’ve come to terms with my past, and I’m just thankful to be alive. Never existing, never having a chance to see the beauty of this earth and making friends…” I shrugged, since my tightening throat over losing Haley to him—no matter how fucking phenomenal he seemed—didn’t allow for more expressed thoughts.

As though attached to my soul and feeling my pain, Haley left his lap and came to me, sliding in against my side to wrap her arms around me.

Wyatt watched his woman comfort me without a hint of jealousy in his eyes.

For the first time since hearing Haley go on about the guy, a sliver of hope rose inside me. Did he understand our platonic relationship? Would he really be okay with her and I continuing on in our friendship?

“Do you think Greyson would help me out?” he asked, and I told myself he must have been too lost in thought to really see how Haley held me. Nurturing. Possessive.

“I know he would,” she answered, her voice muffled from where she’d shoved her face against my chest.

“I’ll talk to Blaine tomorrow.” Wyatt lifted his focus off her for my face. “I appreciate you telling me your story, Garrett. Thank you.”

I nodded, and he got up to head to the bathroom, leaving us alone.

He trusted her. Trusted me even though she’d wrapped around me like a python.

That hope came back ten fucking fold, and I swallowed hard, not wanting to hope only to have my heart crushed.

“Garrett,” Haley whispered and hugged me tighter.

“He really is one of a kind, Hal,” I choked out.

She sighed long and heavy.

“Just be careful, okay?” I fought to keep my voice steady. “You fall quick and hard with every guy who gets your attention like this,” I reminded her what she’d told me countless times.

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