Page 30 of Secrets Among Us

I chuckled. “And there’s that. Yeah. He’s extremely buff, too.”

“It’s okay to change your mind.”

My brows shot up. “You mean with Zack?”

She nodded.

“I don’t want to play games with his heart, and I’m too unstable to know which end is up.”

“You’re not unstable. You’re working through trauma. That’s not being unstable.”

“It just feels like it sometimes, and my therapist pointed out that I can’t ever move past trauma if I’m confronted with it every day.”

“Hmm…”

I stared at my sister. “What?”

“Do you think that’s realistic?”

“Which part?”

“You won’t ever just forget what happened to you. But Zack was the one good thing that came out of that bad situation. That doesn’t mean he’s a bad reminder of the past. He was the light, the hope.”

Her words hit hard.

“Listen, do you remember the men you’ve dated before Zack?”

I shifted uncomfortably on the couch.

“Does Wasabi Guy ring a bell?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “It’s not like I can forget Wasabi Guy. I’ll never be able to get the image out of my head of him being carted out of the sushi restaurant on a stretcher.”

Elena laughed. “Nothing like dating in the city.”

“He seemed so worldly and cultured, and the next thing I know, he’s spooning in wasabi like it’s guacamole—and bam. Turned a million shades of a strawberry. Jerry was his name. He never returned my calls either.”

“But would you have wanted him to?”

I laughed, feeling immensely better being with my sister.

“And don’t forget how your first boyfriend became obsessed with you.” Elena rolled her eyes. “He never knew when to leave you alone. Remember how Dad had to step in?”

A chill instantly fell across my skin.

“Don’t remind me.” I looked up at my sister, wondering if I should tell her what had happened a few weeks ago. It would be safe with her, and she probably wouldn’t overreact. Although, with everything going on with Carmella, that wasn’t a guarantee.

And I needed to tell someone.

I pushed the sick feeling aside. “Yeah. He had some issues.”

Zack cleared his throat, and my eyes met his as he stood in the living room.

“Wasabi Guy?” A smile touched Zack’s mouth, and I couldn’t help but feel the familiar charge from him. “First boyfriend drama. What a great time to enter the room.”

“I’m going to check on Jaxson,” Elena said, hopping up from the chaise with her coffee and a big smile.

As she left, Zack slowly walked toward me.

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