Page 26 of Trouble
“You led the poor girl on and then dumped her?”
“I didn’t want to,” I protested. “But after Andre did what he did, there weren’t many other options.”
“So you didn’t tell her you were in love with her and would fight for her no matter what?”
My heart sank. I hadn’t done any of those things.
When Lyla had told me on Saturday night that she loved me, I couldn’t say it back to her, even though it was the absolute truth.
If I had said it, would it have made much difference?
Could I have stopped Andre coming to the garage today and finding us together?
Should I have been stronger and done what Aunt Penny said I should and fought for the woman I loved?
Absolutely.
Fuck, I was an idiot sometimes.
“Maddox. Take it from me. It might be hard, but if you’re sure Lyla is the one for you, no matter what anyone else thinks or says, then you need to find a way to make it work.” Aunt Penny reached across the table and covered her hand with mine, gently squeezing my knuckles. “It’s obvious you care very deeply for her and I reckon she feels the same. She may not be around here as much as she was when you were in school, but I don’t think those feelings would have gone away. What you’ve told me confirms as much.”
“She says she loves me.” A small smile crept across my lips, despite the cut stretching as I did so.
“Don’t let her go on thinking you don’t feel the same. She’s held a torch for you all these years and now you’ve finally acted on it, you shouldn’t let her go so easily.” There was a pause. “She’s worth a few bruises, right?”
I don’t know why I hadn’t spoken to Aunt Penny sooner. If I had, I probably wouldn’t be sitting there nursing a ribcage of wounds and blood on my face. I was grateful for her insight, her perspective on the situation.
“She is. Even if it might have broken my friendship with Andre.”
“I’m sure once he realizes you’re serious and that you’re in it for the long run, he’d be more than happy to welcome you into the family as Lyla’s boyfriend as well as his oldest friend.”
Impulsively, I leaped up and ran around to the other side of the table, gathering Aunt Penny into my arms.
“Thank you,” I whispered into her ear. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Laughing, she pushed me away. “You’d have to do your own laundry for a start.”
I straightened up and jerked my thumb upwards. “I need to go and make a couple of calls.”
She smiled. “Of course. And if you’re still here by the time NCIS comes on, maybe we can watch it together?”
I hated the show, but it was the least I could do for her as she’d helped me so much. “You got it.”
Taking the stairs two at a time, I burst into my room, locating my phone on the bed. I paced up and down the carpet as I called Lyla’s number. It rang and rang before finally going to voicemail.
“Lyla’s it’s me. Call me as soon as you get this. I’ve spoken to Andre; we need to talk.”
It didn’t come as a total surprise she didn’t want to speak to me. After all, I’d been adamant she should leave and there was nothing between us only a few hours ago.Why hadn’t I just told her the truth then?
I repeated the same action with Andre, although this time his phone went straight through to messages.
Feeling beaten, I sank down on the edge of the bed, my initial enthusiasm beginning to wane. Neither of the people I cared so deeply about wanted to speak to me. I hoped it wasn’t a sign.
