Page 28 of Back To You

“She’s nothing like that anymore,” I tell Jack. “Now, she’d tell you anything you want to hear, even the shit you don’t,” I joke, not being able to fully put into words who Annie is now.

Vivian, as Jack remembers her, hated being called by that name.

We were in fifth grade when Annie told me she wished she didn’t have to have the same name as her mom.

I didn’t think much of it at the time, not making the connection between Annie hating her name and hating how her mom treated her until much later.

My 10-year-old brain went straight to the conclusion that if she didn’t like it, I would call her something else—simple as that.

And from that day on, she was Annie to me.

“Well, be careful. We both saw what it did to you when she broke up with you,” Bennett says as the waitress drops off our check. We each throw down a $20 as he continues. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you she isn’t worth it because that look in your eyes whenyou talk about her tells me you’re going to do what you want anyway. So, just be careful, okay?”

“Yeah, it sounds like she’d enjoy hurting you this time around,” Jack jokes, and, as we’re walking back out to the car, I can’t help but think about how right he is.

The guys drop me off at my apartment, and I feel a little lighter than I did this morning. Talking about my dad and all the decisions I have to make sucked, but it needed to happen. I have a lot to think about because whatever I decide isn’t going to just affect me.

I start heading into the complex at the same time a familiar head of brown waves and cherry lips walks my dog towards me, and I don’t even try to hide the grin that forms on my face, the same one I wear whenever I see her.

“Fancy seeing you here, Lukey-poo,” she sing-songs as she takes a headphone out of her ear. “Good breakfast with Jack and Ben?”

“Those endorphins from your walk put you in a good mood or something?” I tease. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Her smile has a sinister twist, and I know she is either planning my demise, or has already put the plan into action. “Is me being nice to youthatout of the ordinary?” she asks, feigning innocence in the way she bats her eyelashes.

I take Rosie’s leash from her. “Yes,” I reply without a second thought.

She laughs, and the sound is music to my ears. “You just know me too well,” she answers. “I might possibly need something from you.”

I open the door and follow her in, knowing all too well that whatever she wants, it’s already hers.

Chapter 12

Annie

“What could you possibly need from me?” Luke asks as he follows me into the entrance of the apartment complex. He is in his usual attire of a white Henley and jeans, and his blonde hair seems even more golden with the sun coming through the glass door. I turn around to find his blue eyes on me, their usual sparkle shining bright, and I have to turn forward so I don’t trip over my feet at the sight of that smile.

“I’m glad you asked,” I counter over my shoulder, brushing my hair behind me as we walk down the hallway to his apartment. “We never got to finish our conversation from last night.”

“You’re right,” Luke says as I pull out my set of keys to his place and go to unlock the door. “I wasn’t even halfway done kissing you.”

My hands freeze, and my keychain falls out of my hand. My cheeks are already hot from my walk with Rosie, and I donotblush—especially because of Luke—but I feel all the blood in my body rush to my face.

Luke bends down to pick up my keys, finishing the job of unlocking the door for us, and it takes me a moment to form any words.

It’s not like I haven’t thought of the kiss, for much longer than I’d like to admit, but it was definitely not the “conversation” I was talking about.

I could barely sleep last night after closing the door to the guest bedroom.

Half of me wanted to open the door right back up and finish what I started. The other half of me wanted to pack up all my shit and leave without a trace.

Again.

Kissing Luke was like a breath of fresh air, and it was something I could very well become addicted to—which is exactly why it can never happen again.

Even if I wanted to give Luke and me another chance—which I don’t—there is way too much to trudge up from a place buried deep inside of me for that to be able to happen.

Luke steps around me to walk into the apartment, and I resist the urge to slap my hand across my forehead.

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