Page 168 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

“You’ve gone pale.”

“Yeah, well, it was nice knowing you.”

He chuckled. “You know Jase loves his girls more than anything in the world, right?” I nodded and he went on, “When it comes down to it, all a parent wants is for their kid to be happy. Even if sometimes that means letting go or accepting things you don’t like. Jase already thinks of you as his own, Aaron…”

He lets the words hang between us.

“I love her, Dad. I think I’m in love with her.”

Fuck. How could three little words feel so right and wrong at the same time?

“Shit, Son.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’m not sure it’s me you should be telling this to.”

“She hates me.”

“That girl could never hate you. I’ve seen her stand at your side for the best part of seventeen years.”

“Why do you not sound surprised by this?”

“Because I know you, Aaron. I know your heart and I know you only wanted to do the right thing. But it’s okay to love her, Son. It’s okay.”

I fell into my father’s arms, hugging him tight. I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed to hear that until now.

Years. I’d wasted years telling myself that we could only ever be friends. That I could watch her go off to college and start a life… without me.

“You need to fix this, Aaron. We’re Bennets. We don’t run from our problems, we face them head on.”

“I know, Dad. Everything’s just so messed up.”

“You think I never messed up?” he scoffed. “Of course I did. I was an eighteen-year-old kid who thought he knew it all. Nearly screwed things up with your mom. I nearly lost her, Aaron. Your mom. The greatest, most important thing in my life.”

“Hey, I thought me and Sofia were the most important things in your life.”

“I hate to break it to you, kid, but it will always be your mom.” He smiled and this time, I found myself smiling back.

“You’ve got your whole life ahead of you, Aaron. Time to make mistakes and figure out who you want to be. Just don’t ever forget where you came from. Don’t ever lose sight of the things that matter. Really matter.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“I love you, Son.”

“I love you too.”

“Now let’s get some ice onto that hand and look at the damage. You might think your season is over, but I refuse to believe that. Football is a part of you in here.” He touched his chest, right over his heart. “Not making the cut at one of your preferred colleges doesn’t change that.”

But for the first time in my life, football was the last thing on my mind. It was too consumed with the image of Poppy stepping out of Faris’s bedroom with Eli. The look of devastation on her face as I lunged for him. The fear in her voice as she yelled for me to stop hitting him.

I’d broken every single piece of her trust and understanding tonight. Took a sledgehammer and smashed right through it.

Poppy had forgiven me for a lot over the years. Stood by my side and loved me through highs and lows and teenage boy tantrums. When all I’d done was take our friendship for granted. Time and time again, I’d taken her for granted, but this was different.

If Poppy never talked to me again it was only what I deserved.

But she had to.

She had to forgive me.

And if she wouldn’t…

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