Page 102 of Reckless Hearts

I wanted him to be proud of me.

I won something we were both fighting so hard for.

We trained together, lived and breathed ranking higher in the sport.

I thought we were the same. That no matter what, the only thing that mattered was reaching the top.

After that, he never looked at me the same. Brushed me off every time I tried to talk to him.

Eventually, a bitterness grew inside me, one that was fed every time we competed.

Our very competitive nature drove a rift right between us.

I had been a cocky, arrogant idiot, so full of myself, thinking I understood what was important.

I was so fucking wrong.

I was chasing the win, blind to everything else.

Had I realized what was happening. How fragile it all was, how close we were to losing each other, I would’ve done everything differently.

It shouldn’t have taken Callie coming back for me to see it clearly.

To recognize that all the animosity, all the resentment, was nothing but a frail cover for hurt.

A young kid’s selfish pride.

The belief that the world revolved around me.

It didn’t matter to me why Colt was upset becauseIwas upset too.

Every time he pushed me away, it only proved what I wanted to believe: that he was wrong.

That his unhappiness was his failure, not mine.

Had I taken my head out of my ass for a single second, I would’ve realized I was being an immature idiot.

I miss him. God, I’ve missed him so much.

Colt would never not be happy for me unless something deeper was broken.

And I should’ve pushed to find out what.

I can’t go back.

But I won’t make that mistake again.

Fall is coming.

But I’m not losing them.

Not this time.

Not ever again.

Chapter 35

Callie

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