Page 42 of Always Mine

“Oh, Miles? Where is he? I texted him, but he hasn’t responded yet.”

Damn it. My gaze snaps to the right, taking in Lily and all the other Prescotts, eyes zeroing in on the one in particular that's driving me up the wall. Fuck, I should have known he’d be here. After all, he’s been everywhere that I have since he arrived back in town.

Not kidding.

The post office, the grocery store, hell, even just taking a walk through town. It’s like I can’t escape him no matter how hard I try.

“Wyatt?” Mama asks, pulling my attention back to her. Damn, and of course I was just caught staring at him. My eyes cut to my nana who has a knowing smirk on her face. I want to bury myself in a hole and never come out.

Clearing my throat, I face Lily and address her first, because only a fool would take on one of the Golden-Gossip Brigade in front of a crowd. “He’s at the corn maze.” My tone comes out normal despite the war happening inside my body, which is good. I’d rather let them think I’m unbothered. That’s the best for us all.

“Thank you.” She’s up and out of her seat without so much as a bye. I stare after her, confused and suddenly wondering if Hunter isn’t the only Farely brother falling in love.

“They’re just friends,” Iris says, pulling my attention to her. I think she’s used her psychic abilities to read my mind for a moment, but then realize she’s looking at Paxton. He must have had the same thought as me at some point. My gaze shifts to him, and of course, he’s already staring at me.

We catch eyes, blue locking with blue. Then it’s as if the blurry haze that settled around the world finally focuses again and I can see for the first time in years.

Oh, fuck no.

I feel the warm press of a hand against my shoulder blade, and even though I don’t want to, I tear my gaze away from Paxton, expecting to see my sister standing behind me, but instead, I come face-to-face with Cooper.

Cooper.

The weird moment between me and Paxton comes to an end and I’m ready to weep with gratitude. I don’t know what the hell that was, but it can never happen again.

As if on autopilot, I move, throwing my arms around Cooper’s neck and clinging to him like he’s my salvation.

Hell, right now, he is.

His soft chuckle brushes my ear and I feel his arms wrap around my back as he pulls me closer. Now this feels right, like being back in my safe space after weeks of being fed to the dogs. I love my family and the town, but I feel like everyone has been pushing Paxton down my throat without giving me a moment to breathe, and I needed this more than I realized.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“I need some air,” I hear a growly voice say, followed by a loud clatter. I pull away from Cooper in time to see Paxton storming off.

Why does he need air when we’re already outside?

SIXTEEN

Paxton

I stomp my way out of the tent, trying not to look back at Wyatt and Cooper.

I’m irrationally mad as fuck and ready to set the world on fire. Needing to get my shit together, I head away from prying eyes.

How in the hell can they only be friends? The way Wyatt lit up and basically threw himself at Cooper was something he only did with me, and the second his raspyI missed youhit my ears I was done for.

He’s supposed to bemine. Those hugs, those words, every single part of Wyatt was onlyeversupposed to be mine. Why did I let him go so easily? I think back to my eighteen-year-old self and try to remember what I was feeling at the time. Why was the thought of losing Wyatt not the most terrifying thing in the world when it should have been? How could I have let college and football take precedence over the most important relationship I’ve ever had?

I don’t get it. I want to go back and shake the boy I once was, try to knock some sense into him because this is awful.

Being in California made it possible to separate myself from all of this. Separate my two worlds. Now that it’s all merging together, every single feeling I put on the back burner for the last three years is alive and well, telling me to fight for my man.

A man that I’m not even sure is available for me to fight for.

My stomach twists and I slump down, leaning against an oak tree. I think I’m going to puke, and working myself up is making it worse. Being pissed at Wyatt is unjustified, I wasn’t here, so him moving on to someone else is allowed…

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