Page 63 of Wild Hearts

When she turns back to look at me, there are tears shining in her eyes. “We’re not little kids anymore, Brady. You can’t keep things from me in some weird way of trying to protect me. We used to tell each other everything, but lately you’ve been shutting me out. It’s got to stop.”

“Okay.” My voice is barely a whisper.

“Why didn’t you tell me about you and Wren?” she asks.

I wanted to.Instead of telling her that though, I just shrug.

“What happened between you two?”

Lachy scratches his head. “I’m going to leave you guys to talk,” he says, kissing Ivy softly before pounding my fist. “Call me later.”

Neither of us say anything as his footsteps disappear down the hallway and the front door closes behind him. Ivy picks up her plate and walks into the living room. I stand to follow her.

“What do you know?” I eventually ask when it becomes clear that she’s not going to continue without prompting.

“Not much,” she admits. “I know something happened between the two of you, but Wren didn’t go into much detail.” She takes a bite of her sandwich, chewing slowly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

So, it was Wren who said something. I wonder what happened to make her tell Ivy when she was so adamant about hiding it when we were together?

I let out a sigh. “It all happened so fast. We started seeing each other last summer, but then she went home to Newcastle, and we...” I shake my head. I never agreed with keeping us a secret. “She wanted to make sure it was really something before we told anyone.”

“And was it? Was it something?”

My stomach clenches. It was for me. It was always her from the moment we met.

My silence must speak volumes because Ivy’s voice softens. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” I drop my head into my hands, tugging on my hair. “We talked on the phone all the time. I even drove down to Newcastle to see her.”

The surprise on Ivy’s face is like another stab in the gut. She’s right: wewerejust like Dad and Tarshia, sneaking around behind everyone’s back. This was why I wanted to come clean in the first place. I wanted the whole world to know how I felt about Wren Murphy.

“She’s the one for me, Ives.” I choke out. “She has been since the first day she arrived here six years ago.”

The confession catches my sister mid-bite and she coughs, trying to swallow down her food. “But you... I mean... You always acted like she was an annoying little sister.” She coughs again. “I thought she was just blushing and stammering around you because she was shy. I just laughed it off because I figured you weren’t interested in her like that.” Shaking her head, she bites on her bottom lip. “I had no idea it went deeper than that.”

I lean back, resting my head on the couch and covering my face with my hands. “I didn’t want to keep it a secret. After we got together, I was so happy. Despite everything going on with Dad, something was going right. But I guess Wren was a bit wary about it all. Even after Newcastle.” I groan. “I don’t know what I did, but somehow, like everything else, I managed to stuff it up with her.”

Ivy tugs my hands away from my face. “I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.”

“Everything was fine until your birthday. I tried to pressure her into telling everyone about us. Dad had just moved out and I was sick of hiding. I didn’t want to lie to anyone anymore. She wanted to wait until she finished school, until she moved back here, but I blew up at her. I said she had to choose... either she wanted to be with me, or she didn’t.”

I wince as I remember what I said to her. She’d reeled back as if I’d slapped her. I wanted to take it back, but I was too hurt. Too angry. Too stubborn.

“Oh, Brady,” Ivy sniffs.

“I’m an idiot.” My gut twists. “I tried calling her and texting her, but she wouldn’t answer. She completely shut me out and I don’t blame her. I should have just been happy she wanted to be with me.” A thought crosses my mind and I feel like I’m going to throw up. “Unless she didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?” Ivy asks.

“Want to be with me.”

Ivy’s face drops. “I don’t think that’s it.”

“Your birthday was at the end of April and it was only three months later you told me she was seeing that other guy from her school.”

Ivy’s face pales.

“What?” I ask her, leaning forward.

---