Page 153 of Faking It With the Small-Town Bad Boy

never addressed with myself.”

“Like what?”

“Like, love.”

I want to melt to the ground, but I stay standing in his arms long

enough to croak out tentatively, “Love with Farrah?”

He shrugs it off and replies, “It wasn’t love. I’m realizing that now.”

I shouldn’t perk with excitement, but I still do. “Really?”

“Yeah, really. I think my love was for someone who saw me, someone

I thought was actually better than me. In a weird way, I thought I

had won the prize at the fair, and I had to do something constantly

just to keep myself on her radar. When you’re in a relationship with

someone, a real, loyal, relationship with someone, you shouldn’t fight

to keep them interested in you every day. It was exhausting, and in

the end, I think she just wanted someone her father didn’t like. She

did that a lot.”

“What, exactly?”

“She would do things to hurt her father just to get a rise out of him. It

brought her attention, and in times when she wasn’t being showered

constantly with positive attention, she would resort to getting any

attention she could. No matter who it hurt.” His head falls, and his

eyes meet mine, a new glint of gold in his amber irises. “I see now I

was wrong in staying in something so toxic for so long. I thought I

was lucky back then. Can you imagine how lucky I feel right now?”

My brows raise with his admission. “What do you mean, lucky?”

“I mean standing with you in this shop is the first time I’ve ever felt

like I haven’t had to fight for someone’s appreciation, someone’s

affection. It’s just so natural with you, darling. I know I offered this

deal as a way to support one another, but I truly think I’ve found

more than just a shoulder to lean on from time to time. I found

affection in you, Leah. Real, healthy, and true affection.”

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