Page 71 of I'm Gonna Get You Back
Fresh tears pushed through my lashes. I swatted them away, trying to think—trying tobreathe.
His chest rose and fell, but he put a steady fingertip under my chin and lifted it, not letting me look away.
We stared at each other for a long time. He was never going to give up. The champion in him would go to any lengths. If I let this go on, he’d give us everything he had. Half stuck in Woodhurst with me.
But he deserved so much better; a clean slate. A real escape from the limits of this town and these terrible people. I couldn’t be the person who held him back.
The ends of his hair were starting to curl in the damp air, and the hollows of his cheeks were flushed. He pressed his forehead to mine. “Why won’t you let me in?”
I could’ve said,Because I don’t deserve you.OrBecause you’re destined for things so far beyond my reach.
OrBecause it’s not enough that I love you, too.
I cleared my throat and backed away. “I can’t do this anymore.”
His eyes closed slowly. I went instantly cold when he dropped his hand. “So you’re done? Just like that?”
My chest felt splintered when I said, “We were never going to work anyway.”
“Clara… This issomething.”
I let my gaze trace every line of his face. To absorb what it felt like when he looked at me like that one last time. “I know it is,” I admitted, voice shaking. I had to keep myself from throwing my arms around him and instead try to help him understand. “But it isn’t everything.”
My heart was screaming at me that I was making a huge mistake as I watched him walk in a daze to the driver’s side door of his truck. The old metal creaked as he opened it, but he hesitated before climbing in.
Our eyes caught, and the corner of his mouth hiked up a little. “It was everything to me.”
All breath left my body.
I watched him drive off, too stunned to cry again. When it was clear he was gone, that I had really ended the best thing that had ever happened to me, I slowly sank to the ground, wishing I was better. Wishing I was stronger. Wishing love hadn’t found us.
Because it ruined everything.
Or maybe I did.
CHAPTER EIGHTEENCLARANOW
ONE DAY UNTIL LEGACY BANQUET
MY HANDS ARE VIBRATINGagainst the steering wheel, tears streaming down my face as I drive home from the hot springs. When Reid told me at Kenji’s last night that he’s not with anyone, I assumed that meant he hadn’t been with anyone since me. That it meant something significant.
Now I know just how wrong I was.
At least I managed to keep it together until I dropped Reid off at home. Until I was no longer confined in the same small space with him. But now that I’m alone, everything I’ve kept inside for months pours out of me.
How could they have done this?
My body feels cold all over, the shock and betrayal hitting me in waves. Delaney spent a night with Reid in a room I’ve never seen. Met his teammates and talked to him about his injury. Supported him.Kissedhim. And who knows what else happened between them?
Even though he claims he doesn’t remember, they were alone anddrunk, and he’s become too good at lying. How can I believe he would be honest with me about this when I wasn’t honest with him about Josh? Maybe this was his way of hurting me back.
Hurting meworse.
Because even though we weren’t together, and even if there have been others, this isDelaney.
I take a sharp turn too fast, memories from last year rushing through my mind as quickly as the trees blur down the road. Of her telling me how cute she thought he was, pushing me to go for it with him, her daring him to kiss me, her dancing with him at homecoming. The way she told me I was making a mistake after I broke things off. It was all so high school… but also stunningly present now.
I don’t want to believe it’s because she wanted him for herself.
