Page 96 of The Lilac River

I flopped down, pushing my fingers into my temples. "I think I might need a sick afternoon."

She pressed a hand to my forehead. "You’re hot. And not in a cute way."

"It’s fine," I muttered, even as a wave of nausea hit me.

"Do you need to go to the pharmacy?" she asked gently. “Or the doctor?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Liar.” She stared at me, two lines of consternation between her eyes. “I want the truth, or do I drag you to the doctor myself?”

I hesitated. How could I tell her the real reason I was falling apart?

"Cassidy, I..." I swallowed hard.

“Oh my God.” Her slim fingers wrapped around her throat. “Are you seriously ill?”

"No. No. Honestly, it’s just…I had sex with Nash. In the rain, in the lavender field and then on their dining table. And then,” I said, my voice cracking, “he made it clear it was a mistake."

She blinked. "Wow. That’s a lot considering I thought maybe you had strep or something.”

"The fact that we had sex, or that he regretted it?"

"All of it.” She whistled. “Jeez. Did he say that?"

"No," I whispered. "But I could see it."

Cassidy flopped back on the bench; arms crossed. "So, you don’t know for sure?"

"No. But I didn’t want to hear excuses. I just wanted to leave. Wilder took me home."

"Hence why you look like death warmed over." She studied me for a long moment. "Maybe you’re sick with something else. Besides Nash’s dick."

"Cassidy!"

"What?" She shrugged. "You had field-and-rain-and-dining table sex. Twice. That’s some commitment."

I glared. "If you count that he also went down on me for a little while, it’s kinda like three times."

Cassidy gasped, clutching her chest. "So once in the rain and…let’s call it one and a half on the dining table!"

"Yes. And then I left."

“But he didn’t say those actual words.” I shook my head. She grew serious. "You need to talk to him. Really talk."

I shook my head.

"I can’t. Plus, my mom’s thinking about telling her story to the newspaper," I blurted out. "About my dad. That way the mayor has nothing to blackmail us with."

Cassidy's face darkened. "That bastard."

"It would cause too much trouble."

"Honey," she said softly. "You’re already living in the wreckage. It’s time to start tearing down the ruins and building something new. With Nash without the secrets and lies."

I stared at her, matching her intense gaze.

Maybe she was right. Maybe it was finally time to push that first domino.

---