Page 49 of No Way Home
The cars started moving, and I tapped on the gas. Abilene texted again. I found a parking spot and dove back into the conversation.
Abilene
Irregardless. You know you can’t keep dating Griff…
I clamped my teeth, typing furiously.
STOP USING IRREGARDLESS! You know it’s not a word. You’re just goading me now!
Abilene
Like I was saying… Irregardless, the Maggie-Griff train is heading for a crash. You can’t keep dating just because you don’t want to hurt him. It’s not fair to either of you. Not with the way you feel about Bowen.
I hated that she was right.
Abilene
May as well go ahead and get it over with. Today. Just kiss Bowen, all hot and sweaty, covered in mud. Griff’ll get the picture.
Abilene
Admit it. You know you want to.
My sizzling cheeks would’ve given me away if she were here. Thankfully, she was not.
Do you think The Duprees will adopt me if I break things off with Griff?
I wasn’t ready to give them up.
Abilene
I mean, I would. You’re way better than Griff. But I don’t think he’ll allow it.
You just gotta rip off the Band-Aid.
My heart fell, my chest growing heavy at the thought of losing not only Griff but his entire family. Lemon and Silas, who were basically my second parents. Sophie, James, and Sage. Charlie and Cash. Theo and Liam. Granny and Gramps. The aunts and uncles. Addie.
It was too much.
But the thought of never seeing Bowen again? I felt like I was suffocating every time I thought about it. Which was completely screwed up sincehe was my boyfriend’s brother! But I knew the truth. Bowen wouldn’t be in my life much longer.
I dropped my phone in my lap and rubbed my temples.
Tap, tap, tap,someone knocked on the glass. I screamed, phone flying into the air. Then I pressed a hand over my heart and glared through the window at…
Bowen.
He was laughing at me; the sun glinting off his piercing, wearing an actual shirt for once—anunofficial Cash Dupree Fan Club tee that he and the guys had worn to Cash’s concert last night. I hadn’t seen him for days. Not even a glimpse as heran by at Dupree Ranch. My heart was so happy to see him standing there, it tried to shoot out of my chest and smash through the window to get to him.
He held up a shaker bottle and pointed at it dramatically. The words "Official Team 'Hoos Ready to Run' Race Fuel" were written on the front in Sharpie. He tipped his head back and pretended to guzzle it.
Oh my word. He brought me a protein shake from home.
I hopped out of the car, practically buzzing, a massive grin cracking my face. I had to glue my arms to my sides to keep from hugging him. “Hey,” I said, too breathy, too bright. “I missed you.”
His eyes flickered, surprised. But I didn’t take it back. Iwashappy. And, I decided right then, if things between me and Griff were going to end, I could at least have this one last day with Bowen. No guilt. No shame. Just pure, unadulterated fun.
He shoved the drink at me awkwardly. “Here.”
