Page 6 of Swan

“Bye, Deanna,” Maya said. Mum waved over her shoulder on the way back up the stairs.

Maya took my arm and dragged me into the kitchen. “Yum, something smells nice.”

“I’m baking cookies. We all can’t have a sister-in-law who owns a bakery.”

Maya smirked. “You know you can go to Channa’s anytime.”

I nodded with a smile as I sat at the counter. “You know I don’t like going since she doesn’t charge us anything.”

Maya sat next to me, and it was then I noticed the piece of paper in her hand. “We keep telling her, but she won’t listen.” She waved the paper in front of her. “Now, just know this could be the best time to tell a certain someone that they hurt you when they stopped talking to you.”

My stomach fluttered. “What are you on about?”

She handed over the paper, and I opened it.

I read it once.

Twice.

And even a third, just in case I got it wrong the first two times.

I hadn’t.

My body flushed while my heart tried to crawl up my throat to escape like I wanted to.

Swallowing thickly, I shook my head and gave her the paper back. “No. Sorry.”

“Swan, it’s a small meet and greet to show his hometown thanks for their support. Hardly anyone will be there.”

I cocked a brow.

“Okay, there may be heaps of women there swooning over him. But there were only fifty tickets available to get a personal photo opportunity with him.”

“Maya, thank you for thinking of me. But I’m not going there to make a fool of myself.”

“I’m not saying you have to ask him why he was a dickhead and stopped contacting you, but?—”

My organs twisted. “His life got busy, and he had no time for old friendships. It’s as simple as that.”

She scoffed. “I don’t believe it, and I know deep down you don’t either. The concert Saturday won’t give you time like this to be up close and personal with him.”

Blowing out a breath, I stared down at the floor.

I wasn’t really thinking of doing this, was I?

He’d tell me to leave, and then I’d cry and run away, which would make me look like a fool.

Will he, though?

Maya was right when saying this would be the only time I could speak with him.

I glanced down at the paper Maya placed on the counter.

Blood pumped fast through my veins.

I couldn’t do it.

“Come on, Swan. You need to speak to him. You need to find out if it’s only his job getting in the way of contacting you, and then, if it is, you can forget about him. You can move on and stop wondering.”

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