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“I don’t want our dad in our lives. I didn’t know what he did to your parents until Zane told me, but now that I do, well, I’m not surprised. Iamreally sorry, though. He’s not a good person.”
“What do you mean? What did he do?”
“Ditching your parents with the restaurant? Jayden Wells?”
“That was your dad?” Her eyebrows rise.
I nod looking down again, wishing there was some way I could divorce my family.
She doesn’t say anything, and I wish I could tell what she’s thinking. I hope she’ll still be my friend. I hope she’ll judge me on my own merits and not by some man she’s never met, who happens to be my dad.
I hope she’ll still be willing to help us.
“Zane told you all this?”
“Yeah.”
“If Zane knows, Jack must know.” Her voice is quiet. “But he didn’t tell me.”
The radio plays softly in the background, and I think about all the high hopes I had when I came here. I think about my dreams of finding a new life, a career, living on my own terms. I think about my silly dreams of falling in love with a handsome man. And I think about how it’s played out so far—once again, thanks to my dad.
After a few more minutes of silence, I finally ask her, “What do you think?”
“Well…” She exhales, nodding as if she’s made a decision. “It all happened before we were even born. If it mattered today, my brothers would’ve said something about it. Instead, the restaurant is a big success, Zane’s helping Edward, and we’re friends. I think we’re safe to leave what happened in the past, and we can keep moving forward.”
The breath I didn’t know I was holding bursts through my lips, and I drop my face into my hands.
My chest aches, and I swallow the knot in my throat. “Thank you.”
“Oh, honey.” She pulls into a parking space and pulls me into a hug. “It just makes sense. We’ve all grown so close, and you and Edward are the sweetest things.”
“I was so discouraged when Zane told me that story.” I blink back more tears. “I’ve worked so hard to make a better life. Iwant to be your friend, and I couldn’t take another rug being pulled out from under us.”
Dylan sits back in her seat, her brown eyes misty like mine, and she tugs the side of my hair. “You’ve come to the right place. We help each other here. Now let’s get in there and see what we can do to help your brother.”
11
Zane
Jack
Edward said you kissed Rachel.
Garrett
What?
Logan
And now she’s avoiding you.
Garrett
What???
Edward saw us?
I glance over to where he’s sitting on the deck readingThe Outsiders. A black kitten is playing with the string of his hoodie, and it falls back with a little thump before jumping up again.
