Page 53 of Fly Back to Me
She glues me with a bored stare. “Liv, we both know that’s not your goal.”
“Okay, hear me out.” I lay a palm out in front of her. “No, I don’t just want to be his friend.ButI’m also not going to help him cheat. I care about him way too much.”
“And if he pursues you all on his own, that’s okay?” she challenges.
My eyes squint, head rotating to the side as I bite the cone crust. “I guess not,” I mock mid-chew.
Lauren sighs, her hand lightly slapping my upper arm. “Liv! No!”
“I know!” I hold my arms out, eyes widening into saucers as I hold her judgmental glare. “But it just seems really unfair that these are the circumstances. Like out of all eight billion people in the world, he had to be one of them that’s already in a relationship? And honestly, how? ‘Cause let’s face it; his personality isn’t exactly built for a romance movie.”
She slowly shakes her head, a cautionary gaze piercing through. “You’ve got it bad, Liv.”
“Why are you acting like this is Stockholm Syndrome? People accept that in some cultures, so I think you should just accept my unrequited feelings for my rescuer. Which, by the way, are much more valid in my humble opinion,” I defend,placing a palm to my chest.
“The girlfriend is already a red flag.”
Thank you, Lauren.
Didn’t notice.
“People can break up,” I mutter under my breath.
Lauren cups her ear, leaning into me. “Uhm, what was that?”
“Ugh,fine,” I grunt harshly, popping the last piece of my cone through my lips. We resume our journey along the concrete, and I’m mumbling over the bite of food. “I’m not going to be a side piece or a home wrecker, calm down.”
I curl the corner with Lauren behind me, my body abruptly clashing into a woman along the bend. A gasp slips from me, palms raising with my eyes as I stumble back on my feet.
My mouth parts to apologize, but a dagger strikes my lungs. Because this blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty isn’t alone.
No.
Her hand is linked to a tall and handsome man in a heather-gray hoodie and jeans.
Cade.
Bile escalates in my throat, body unyielding. I’m incapable of fanning a single hair on my head.
His jaw tenses, nostrils lightly flaring as his gaze bores into me. Then I jolt at the sound of a woman’s voice.
“I’m so sorry.”
I swallow, head pivoting to study her perfectly straight hair. Not to mention the casual crewneck sweatshirt on top of her jeans.
“Excuse us.” Lauren’s fingers wrap tightly around my upper arm, nails burrowing into the fabric of my shacket. She plants her chest to my back, steering my body around Cade and his girlfriend.
Girlfriend.
He peeks over his shoulder just as I look over mine, our numb gazes connecting like two magnets.
Until we fade from each other’s view.
“She’s so beautiful,” I whisper as I turn around.
A natural beauty who doesn’t need to glamor herself up with clothes or accessories.
Like I do.
