Page 106 of Truck You

I take one last look at my phone and debate on texting Mac. The tension and fear I’m holding onto are intense. The surrounding air is heavy, and I ache all over. My body feels like it’s being crushed in a compactor.

Before I can change my mind, I open the message thread with Mac and type. I don’t say much—texting isn’t how I want to have this conversation—but I’m at least going to initiate the conversation. After this, the ball is in his court.

Sophia

Can we talk?

Chapter27

Once a fool, always a fool.

Mac

Three little words. It’s a simple question, or at least it should be, but nothing about it feels simple. It feels ominous. Like I’m about to be reprimanded for bad behavior.

Newsflash, Mac. You behaved badly, and she has every right to be pissed.

Sophia

Can we talk?

Yes, please.

I beg of you.

Talk to me.

Don’t hate me for being an asshole.

Give me a chance to make it up to you.

I’ll do better next time. I promise. Just please take me back.

My mind is overloaded with the things I wantand needto say to her, but I can’t get my fingers to type out a single letter.

I overreacted, and I know it. Everyone who was there to witness my reaction to Tanner talking to her knows I overreacted. Even Tanner.

If my brothers hadn’t been there to stop me, I would have kicked Tanner’s ass. Then his brothers would have gotten involved, and I would’ve been screwed. I can’t take on three guys by myself. I would’ve gotten my ass kicked instead.

Not to mention, I would have made the rivalry between us worse. We don’t need more fuel to feed the fire that’s been smoldering between our two families for generations.

But I wasn’t about to lose Sophia to the likes of Tanner Koch. He was too close. Flirting with someone he knew was taken. I had to make a statement.

Yeah, but you didn’t have to take it out on her and break up. Ass meet hole.

It should be me reaching out to her to ask to talk. But nope. Not only am I an asshole, I’m also a fool. Instead of responding to her or heading over to the garage to talk to her, I’m hiding in my bedroom, staring at her message.

I haven’t gone to work for the past three days, and that makes me feel even worse.

It makes me feel like Dad.

The last person I want to be like is Dad. He let women control his life, his every action, the downfall of his career, and his involvement in his sons’ lives. Or should I say lack of? Losing Susanne destroyed him. His inability to overcome that loss fucked up seven kids’ lives.

I can’t let myself be like him.

Resolve pushing me into action, I pocket my phone and head out to the kitchen to grab some lunch. After a quick bite, I’ll head to the garage and talk to her. I’ll make this right with Sophia and work my ass off to never act so foolish again.

Because I love her, and it’s past time I tell her.

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