Page 85 of The Road Less Traveled By

These are the good old days that everyone talks about, and despite having a stalker on the loose, I’m not going to let him take any more of these moments away from me. They’re mine to live, and he’ll have to pry my life away from my cold, dead hands.

Chapter twenty-six

— SEVEN BY TAYLOR SWIFT

“Okay, start talking beforeI explode,” Teagen says as she sits down on my bed.

“Hello to you too, Teags. How was your morning?” I joke, knowing that the reason she came over was to hear about the kiss.

“It was fine. Now, get on with it. I’ve given you two days to figure out how to describe whatever transpired between you two, and I’m expecting juicy details, babe.”

I get up from my desk chair and all but skip over to my bed. Teags is sprawled out, her long legs hanging over the side of my bed, and I sit across from her, my legs crossed underneath me. I look over to the door to make sure it’s fully closed, and when I’m sure it is, I look at my best friend.

“It was the best kiss of my entire life.”

Her eyes light up as if we’re talking about a romance novel instead of my actual love life. “I fucking knew he was a good kisser. He’s just got that energy, you know?”

“I know, Teags. I experienced it in real time.”

“God, I’m so jealous. Okay,what else?”

I ignore her jealousy comment because shehasa boyfriend. Does she keep forgetting that on purpose? There’s definitely something going on with her, but since she came over to talk about my life, I won't press.

Not today, but at some point.

“He keeps a hair tie on his wrist for me, just in case. Every single time he touches me, I feel like I’m going to fall over from butterflies. I feel insane, Teags, like truly insane about all this. I kissed him the first time, but he chose to kiss me again…and a few more times while we were back at the house.”

“Bree Rose Hart, are you serious!”

“Yes! Ugh, Teags, I never thought I’d feel like this. And even though nothing is official, it feels like it could be.”

“You have hope again, Bree. It’s nice to see that light back in your eyes, and I’m glad you have a tiny sliver of something good amidst all the shit you’re going through.”

Tears fill my eyes, but I will myself not to let them fall. “Thanks, T. I’m glad I have you by my side through all this. You’ve been a constant in my life these past few years, and I’ll always be thankful to Liv and Tristan for bringing us together.” I grab her hand, expecting her to pull away, but she doesn't.

“I’m thankful too, Bree.”

“I don't know when we’ll talk about next steps. I assume he wants to wait until Ralph is caught.”

Teags nods her head. “That makes sense. Things might be a little calmer when that happens, and all his rules probably prevent him from doing anything while the media is watching you like a hawk.”

“Well, when we were on top of the mountain, he said he didn't care about those anymore. He told me I was unraveling him, and that’s not easy to do…” I trail off, my face getting hot.

“Oh, so he’sobsessed.” Teags face is neutral for a few seconds before she explodes in laughter.

“Get your laughter out now, Teags. I know you probably think this all sounds like a bodyguard romance. So laugh it out, and then say something when you’re ready,” I say as I playfully hit her arm while she continues laughing.

“It sounds exactly like something Liv would write, and I kind of love it. You deserve this, Bree,” Teags says as she runs a hand through her dark brown hair.

“You deserve to feel this too, girl. I take it that things with Gregory are still the same?” Talking with her about her relationship is like pulling teeth. They could’ve broken up, and Teags wouldn't have told anyone.

“He asked me to move in with him. In Arizona.”

“Arizona? Across the country Arizona?”

“That’s where it is, yes,” Teags says as she gets off my bed and leans against my bookshelves. “I haven't given him an answer yet, but Tristan thinks it's a terrible idea.”

“Well, it’s definitely a big decision,” I tell her, not wanting to voice my true opinion until she wraps her own head around it. I don't want Teags to be that far away from me, but if she does end up moving with him, I’m not going to stop her.

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