Page 32 (1/1)

Prologue

Valerie still couldn’t believe she’d actually stooped to spying Even with everything Alex Moreno had put her through, she was furious it had colanced at her watch 9:45 p wheel With a deep breath, she stared at his empty driveway Where the hell was he?

For as long as she’d known Alex, their relationship had been complicated This past month and a half had been the exception They’d been inseparable and things finally began to feel serious She’d practically lived at his place the past teeks A few tiht he hinted that she should

When she finally returned ho her calls Just like all the other tiain An entirein the o, stay with ?

All the other tio He’d always reappear eventually with some lame excuse, and like a sick little puppy she was so ready to jump back in his arms Well, not anymore

She should have done this a long ti her hands over her thighs Her head told her she’d better be ready The truth was coht one way or another The truth she’d known all along but she couldn’t bring herself to face Deep inside she’d always known Alex Moreno was not a one woh school Even then she’d known he ay out of her league As the gorgeous high school jock he had girls all over hione out with her just for fun and she was okay with that As the years passed, he stayed in her life off and on But he never stuck around for too long

She accepted it All this time she told herself it was because she was too busy with her education and career to get too caught up in anything too serious The real reason was always in the back of herwhat little relationship she did have with him scared her more than she’d ever admit She tried many times in the past to h to stick with it

Well, she had to be strong now She couldn’t take it anymore Not after thewhere he was and who he ith finally out weighed the fear of learning the truth and ending things for good She owed it to herself to find out once and for all, if his heart was as invested in this as hers or if this was all just a ga as she’d allow it

Even with her head telling her to expect the worst, that she would finally get the closure she needed to walk away for good, her heart was still holding out hope that there was a co explanation That he did feel for her what she’d always felt for him

Valerie glanced around the dash of her roommate’s car They’d swapped cars all week so that he wouldn’t recognize her sitting up the street All week she chickened out in hopes that she’d hear froh with this It was Thursday now, and all she’d got so far was a couple of pity texts saying he was crazy busy and he’d call her soon

Headlights brightened the dark street Valerie sunk in her seat Alex’s truck drove by the car where she hunched down undetected She sunk so low she wasn’t able to see if he was alone or not

Scooting up just high enough so her eyes were over the dash she saw hi around his truck and toward his front door Alone

A glimmer of hope danced in her heart Maybe he was just busy She sat up once he’d gone inside and stared at her phone He was ho her? Could these past six weeks really have been all in her head? Had she just iined his increased affection? She couldn’t be that delusional Could she?

He said he cared for her That he couldn’t stop thinking about her How could he go four whole days without soher? Didn’t he miss her, damn it?

The street lit up again as another car drove closer It slowed as it passed her and then stopped in front of Alex’s house Valerie held her breath The door opened and out cairl in her early twenties in short shorts and a snug tank that read UCSD cliirl opened the trunk and pulled out as too big to be a purse

Her breath hitched Every time she ca an overnight bag The bastard!

Valerie could feel her blood pressure spike, her chest constrict This was it, proof of what she’d known all along and no tays around it She watched as the girl swung her long dark hair over her shoulder and lued to her Her pulse throbbed in her ears She blinked away the tears that blurred her vision

Alex was at the door before the girl even got there He aiting for her! Valerie felt her heart shatter She’d known it all along and yet she was in no way prepared for the acute sting of it She squeezed her eyes just as Alex placed his hand on the girl’s shoulder She couldn’t bear to watch

Valerie opened her eyes in tiirl She let out a shuddering breath Herthe best way to handle this The hot tears streaht of the possibilities, she’d never actually planned what she’d do if she caught him so red-handed