Page 28 of Screwing With The Scrooge

“I wish that you had never been born. Everyone would be so much happier without you.”

I stare at him, watching as he gives me a disgusted look and then turns to stomp off back to his truck.

I watch him leave before I head inside, feeling numb. I trip over the bags by the front door and suddenly I feel dumb for going through all of this trouble.

What did I think I was doing? Did I think that I could be with Olive? That my darkness wouldn’t touch her? I should have stayed away from her. I should have kept her at arm’s length, ignored her. I couldn’t though. I let her in and now I’m going to have to push her away.

“So, turns out that I’m shit at wrapping presents,” Townes says as he walks into my place.

I jump, startled. I didn’t even hear him pull up.

I glance out the window and frown when I see that it’s getting dark out. I must have gotten lost in old memories and stood there, frozen, for longer than I realized.

“What have you been doing?” Townes asks as he frowns down at the bags.

“My dad stopped by,” I whisper, and his head snaps up to me.

I can see the mix of fury and sadness in his gaze. Townes is the only one who knows what seeing that man does to me. I may be twenty-six, but whenever I’m around him, I feel like I’m a little kid all over again.

“He told me to stay away from Olive.”

“But you’re not going to listen to him, right? Because he’s a selfish drunk and doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

I can hear the venom in his voice, and I try to feel the same kind of anger. Anything would be better than this gnawing ache inside of me.

“Xavier,” Townes sighs, and I swallow.

I glance across to Olive’s house, and Townes groans.

“Don’t, X. Don’t sabotage this thing. It’s good. You deserve good things.”

I hear his words, but I just can’t accept them. Not when I’ve been told the opposite my entire life.

“Let’s go grab a beer,” he suggests, but I shake my head.

“I just want to be alone right now.”

He looks upset, but he nods and heads back towards the door.

“Just… don’t do anything that you’re going to regret. You don’t need to push her away,” he says.

I can’t bring myself to even nod, and he sighs as he heads back outside.

I collapse onto the couch and stare at the empty fireplace as I debate what to do now.

CHAPTER10

Olive

I had hopedthat Xavier would come in to see me yesterday or even today, but he didn’t. When I had come by his place last night, he was gone and I must have been fast asleep by the time that he came back.

I try not to let his absence bother me, but I can’t. My gut churns, and I know before I pull into my driveway and see him sitting on his front porch that something is wrong. Still, I try to pretend otherwise.

“Hey, you!” I say, pasting a smile on my lips as I climb out and head his way.

“Hey,” he says, pushing to his feet.

I can see it then. Regret and resignation are written all over his face. For the first time since I’ve met him, I wish that his stoic mask was in place.

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