Page 99 of Meet Dare

“I’m not hiding out anymore. In fact, my parents came by to see me yesterday.”

“Your parents?” I’m confused. “I thought they lived in Florida.”

“Apparently, they’re moving back home.”

“I’m not sure what this has to do with anything.”

He rubs a hand over his beard. “There are reasons I became a wanderer.”

Damnit! I’m curious. Intrigued actually. I want to know what those reasons are, but I feign nonchalance. “What does this have to do with me?”

“Everything, princess. Everything.”

I hate how my belly warms at his nickname for me. I rub a hand over it. We’re not falling for his bullshit, remember?Speak for yourself!

“I overheard my parents say they didn’t want me when I was a teenager.”

I gasp. “What? How dare they?”

My hands fist. I’ll show them how they should treat their children.

“Calm down, trouble. It was a misunderstanding.”

“How do you accidentally say you don’t want one of your children?”

“They said it would be easier if they didn’t have to drag me with them.”

“No!” I jump to my feet and rush to him. “I’m sorry, Cedar.”

He pulls me onto his lap until I’m straddling him. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, and I shiver at the feel of his hands on my skin.

“They didn’t mean it how it sounded.”

I’m not ready to forgive them yet. “What did they mean?”

“They were exhausted. Between Rowan the football god and me, they were always driving one of us somewhere.” He shrugs. “I kind of forgot about how they took me to White Bridge for college classes every day.”

“Nerd.”

“It always felt like Rowan was the golden child and I was the afterthought.”

I run my hands through his hair. “I’m sorry.”

“And, after I overheard them that one time, I decided to put Winter Falls in my rearview mirror as soon as I could.”

“What about now?” The question slips out before I can stop it.

He pinches my chin until I’m forced to meet his gaze. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re not accepting the job in Boston?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he repeats.

Excitement courses through me, but I find it hard to believe he would stay in one place after a decade of being a drifter.

“Won’t you get bored?”

He chuckles. “Have you met the people of Winter Falls? There’s no getting bored here.”

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