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He tucked me in tight to his body and kissed my forehead. “After the day you had, no wonder you had a nightmare. You’re sure you’re not hurt?”
“No.” I’d left out the little detail that Atticus had helped me. I just said I’d seen him in the office which wasn’t quite a lie.
Lance had put his life on pause for me, and I didn't want to keep doing this. I needed to get my shit together.
You have to stop this.
I knew I had to.
I just… couldn't.
He was putting his life on pause to look out for me. Even tonight, I was pretty sure he’d had a date planned because I heard him telling someone that he would make it up to them. He’d stayed home to talk to me.
I had tried to ask about it, but he'd shut that down. He’d always told me about his dates before, which added to the discomfort.
In the dark, he stroked my hair and kissed my forehead. "You're going to be okay, Gwen."
"I wish I could believe you.”
“He’s such a fucking dick, showing up with no warning.”
I shrugged. “Stop. You can't blame a wild animal for doing what it was meant to do. I was the one who made the mistake. I thought it would be a really good idea to believe him and not to look too closely at the façade. I made that mistake. He was trying, but he reverted back to who he really is. I just didn't look closely enough, so this is my fault. I am experiencing this because I was a fool."
I felt him sigh. "You're too hard on yourself, Gwen. I don't want you shutting yourself down like you did after Bronson Jacobson. It’s not good for you."
"Maybe my picker is bad and I just suck at relationships."
He scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with your picker. Bronson was a psychopath and your father did that to you. And as for Price, from the outside, it was obvious he was doing the full-court press. Hell, I would have fallen for it too."
"As if. You didn't like him from the get-go."
"True, but that's because you're my best friend and I'm always trying to take care of you,” he reminded me.
"And normally, I would say that I don't need taking care of, but it's obvious that I do,” I admitted.
I grabbed another handful of popcorn and created some space between us, but Lance didn’t move his arm, "Oh no, you don't. Stop talking about my best friend like that. You had a rough experience, but Morgan and I agree that you'll come out of this funk soon. There are people in your life who love you. And you picked them."
I angled my head over my shoulder and lifted my brow at him. "You've been talking to Morgan?"
He blinked rapidly then. "Yeah, well, she worries about you. We both do. And you know your sister. She basically harassed me into speaking to her. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have."
I rolled my eyes. "You know, you two don't have to hate each other."
He shrugged. "I know. I guess I just see her as that same surly preteen I met seven years ago.”
I had to giggle about that. “Morgan was never surly. You just bring that out in her.”
“Fair enough. There's just something about our personalities that makes us like oil and water. Remember how she used to dare me all the time to do stupid pranks? Then I’d do them to be nice or just shut her up. Then she’d bicker and argue with me. So anything she saysnow gives me the overwhelming urge to poke at her. It's like I can't help it. I revert to big-brother mode. When she says anything, I immediately bristle. You think I want to argue with a teenager?"
I rolled my eyes and turned back around. "Which is shocking because you are awesome, and amazing, and considerate,. And Morgan is the sweetest little sister. Plus, you know she always wanted a big brother. But I think she thought maybe you’d take me away or something. Then when Mom died, she needed an outlet for her feelings."
He gave me a lopsided grin with a sad glint in his eyes. "Glad to be of service. But just so we’re clear, there's nothing sweet about her. You just still see her as that kid she was. The one who needed you. She’s not a kid anymore. And she’s pretty tough. She takes after you."
"Yeah. She's going to be such a badass when she's older,” I agreed. “I just don't want her to end up like me, naive and easily duped. You know, that kind of shit."
He shook his head. "That's not Morgan. Give her some credit. You helped raise her."
"I guess I did."
