Page 103 of Sinful as They Come
“What?” He gasped. He took a seat next to me on the bed, eyes wide as he snatched the pillow from my grasp. “What happened?Whendid it happen?”
“It’s a long story… We broke up a few weeks ago. I didn’t… I didn’t know how to tell you and Mom. I know you both like him. And I really, really didn’t want to talk about it.”
“What did he do?” Dad asked, his voice laced with accusation.
“He wasn’t the guy I thought he was.” And the fact made me feel like the biggest idiot ever.
“Holly, what did he do?” Dad repeated, his voice lowering.
“He… He was more interested in other girls,” I mumbled, my eyes shutting in a small attempt to control some fresh tears. “Seemed to like them a lot more than he liked me.”
“Oh, Holly.”
I heard him sigh loudly, my eyes still shut tight as he pulled me into hisarms. He gave me a soft kiss to the top of my head, holding me to him as I sniffled. Pressing my face into his shirt, I let him rub at my back in slow circles. It would sooth the both of us, but it wasn’t going to rip away the pain like I knew he wanted to do.
“You deserve better than that,” he whispered. “Don’t cry over him. Don’t think about him. Don’t waste your time on someone who doesn’t take care of your heart.”
“I’m trying, but it hurts so much, and I loved him so much, and he doesn’t care, at school he looks at me like he hates me, and I think he does, I think he really hates me, he didn’t care about me at all, not even a little bit, he used me the whole time and now everyone at school thinks I’m a joke, and I don’t know how he gets to break my heart and still be happy, how is that fair?”
I let it all out. All of it. Dad held me that much tighter, like he was trying to squeeze out all of the misery I was experiencing. The warmth felt good. But I knew the comfort wasn’t going to last forever, and that when dad left eventually, I’d feel that familiar pain in my heart all over again.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he whispered. “Or your mom?”
“Didn’t… Didn’t wanna… Talk about it…” I sniffled. “Was too sad…”
“I’m sorry, honey. I’m sorry he did that to you. That’s not fair at all. I know it hurts now, but I promise you the pain is gonna go away. You’ll forget about him. You’ll forget what he did to you. You’re sad now. You’reallowedto be sad. But this feeling won’t last forever.”
“I loved him so much, though.” I sighed. “And he just looks at me like he wishes he had never met me. Like I’m some huge mistake.”
“He was the one who screwed up. That I promise you. You’ll move on from this. From him. And I bet you he’s already realized what a huge mistake he’s made. But you stay away from him. You don’t fall for any of his tricks. Any pain you’re feeling now will go away. And Carter will too. And soon, you won’t even remember his name.”
Pulling away from him, I offered him a small smile. “Thanks.”
“You’ll get over him. Over this. You know you’re getting into Columbia,” he said with warm eyes. “And I’ve got that nice apartment for you to stay in.You know it’s been in the family for years now, and soon, it’ll be all yours. You’re not gonna remember his name by the time you start college.”
I sighed. Of course, Columbia was still so appealing to me, despite me feeling like I should have just given up and let it go. But Sawyer wouldn’t let me give up. And neither would my dad.
“Thank you,” I said softly. “You’re right.”
“Of course I am. I always am. Maybe your mother and I should cancel that trip we have coming up… We can reschedule. I don’t want to leave you alone—”
I shook a hand at him. “No, no. Don’t do that. Go on your trip. I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Look, you just focus on yourself right now. And don’t forget to stay away from Sawyer. He’s bad news too,” he continued. “Maybe I should talk to Eric and get him taken off the project.”
I jolted. “No! Daddy, Sawyer’s really talented. I saw his painting today. He’s doing an awesome job.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Sawyer’s a lot nicer than you think. He’s a good guy…”
Dad narrowed his eyes at me. “Holly, the kid’s a criminal. Stay away from him. He’s nothing.Nothing. I’m surprised they even have him down there in the first place.”
My heart hurt a little at how cruel he was being. He didn’t know Sawyer. Not the real Sawyer that I had discovered. The one I had kissed and wanted to kiss again and again until my lips were swollen.
“Stay away from him,” my dad said, his voice steady and stern.
I nodded and said nothing. All that did was make me want to see Sawyer more.
