Page 29 of Revival

Spencer rubs a hand over his face as he drops himself into a lounge chair on the patio.

“Cortney.”

“Hmm?”

“What makes you think you didn’t have what your brothers have?”

I should have known he wouldn’t let that go.

I drag a pillow from the pile stacked at the head of the bed and wrap my arms around it for comfort.

“Sebastian didn’t love me. When I look back, it’s so obvious.” My lower lip quivers.

“He was engaged to you.”

“He never danced with me.”

“How long were you together?”

“About three years.”

“Three years, and he never danced with you?”

I shake my head. “Not even at Jack’s wedding.”

“Christ.”

“He didn’t like my family.”

Spencer drops his hands between his knees and stares.

“He’d fight with me about seeing them. We have family dinner every Sunday, and he stopped coming.”

Spencer’s jaw flexes.

“Or he’d make us leave early.”

He leans forward in his chair.

“Everyone noticed. They tried to give him a chance, but they were… chilly around him. I saw the looks. They even tried to stage an intervention before the wedding.” The cool AC sends chill bumps across my skin. I wrap my arms tighter around myself.

“What happened?”

“I told them I loved him and that they better accept our relationship before they lose me. They knew it was an empty threat.”

“Did you?” He runs his hand over his hair.

“Did I what?”

He swipes his hand over his mouth almost as if he’s steeling himself to ask the question.

“Did you love him?”

His question hits me with the force of a thousand pounds. A question I’ve asked myself a hundred times sounds a hell of a lot different coming from Spencer Stone.

My arms tighten around my torso.

“I thought I did.” The admission scrapes painfully up my throat. “I wanted to have what everyone else had so badly.”

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