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"I don’t knohat …" I paused as she looked atbrown eyes full of love and concern for hed "Zane and I don’t have the same mom"

Chapter 9

"You have to tell him," Lucky’s tears dried up on the car ride over to the Johnsons’ "You can’t keep this inside It’s not healthy for you and it’s not good for Zane, either He needs to know the truth"

"I don’t want to break his heart" I shook hed "I don’t know if I can keep this from him"

"Let ing her for a reprieve "Please"

"He’s going to be at the Johnsons’" She took a deep breath "We have a surprise for you I’m sorry"

"Oh, no" I looked at her in fear "What did you do?"

"I’m sorry, Noah, but Zane went and picked Robin up She will most probably be inside with the Johnsons as well"

"What?" I shouted "Why would you do that?"

"You’ve been so lonely this last week I know you guys had an attraction and I convinced Zane that it was in your best interest to bring her over this afternoon I’m sorry"

"Fuck, I can’t believe you did that" I clenchedwith e eyes "I ht it would help I didn’t realize, well, you know I didn’t realize that you had soto say to Robin, Lucky If I wanted to talk to her, I would have called her and asked her out on a date"

"I don’t believe you" She shook her head "You’re scared, Noah I don’t knohat that girl did to you in Pal She uy and you deserve better"

"I don’tIt’s a lot more complicated than you think"

"Well,to yourself I’d knohy you’re still so hung up on Skylar, who frankly sounds like a bit of a bitch"

"You have no idea what you’re talking about, Lucky" I shook ot out of the car "You have absolutely no idea"

"I’ to help"

"You don’t understand, Lucky You can’t help me I’m not Zane, you can’t save me" I shook my head and then lowered my voice as I saw the hurt expression on her face "Look, I know you’re trying to help But this is not sorabbed her hand "Maybe in another life, in another world" I shrugged as I stared into her face "Like I said before, Zane won the jackpot when he found you, Lucky If he hadn’t found you first, I would have done hed at the shocked look on her face "Don’t worry, I’ to steal you away I just want you to know that I appreciate you more than you know But you can’t fix this, Lucky, and you can’t fix irl in there who could be a part of that process And I don’t want you toto give up are you?" I shook my head exasperated

"No, I’ else Tell Zane the truth, please, Noah" She whispered up to me "It won’t break hi , Lucky" I looked at her with a strained expression "There’s more to the story"

"Tell him, Noah" She said firmly "It’s not up to you to protect hiued

"No, Noah Your job is to love him and to be honest with him Always No matter how hard or difficult it is You need to be honest with him You can’t shield him from the truth" She took a deep breath "Because the truth always has a habit of getting out And you don’t want him to find out from someone else, do you?"

I shook my head and I realized that she was correct There was no way that I was going to be able to keep this a secret from Zane forever He would find out eventually, and if he found out from soht I had to tell hiain I hated to do it, but I knew that our relationship would never be without a strain if I didn’t come clean

"Hey, you two" Sidney opened the door and waved us in "I wasn’t sure if you were going toto Noah Sorry, Sidney" She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek "How are you?"

"Good Your lovely fiancée and his friend are inside" Sidney grinned and closed the door behind us "Though, I think she may be more of Noah’s friend, yes?"

"You’re so astute, Sidney" Lucky smiled at him and they walked arm-in-arm I took a deep breath to steady the nerves that had suddenly hit me I suddenly had nerves in my stomach and I realized that I was excited to see Robin

"Hey, Noah" Betty rushed over toyou"

"I missed you as well, Betty"

"Boy, do you kno many tears I shed for you?" She shook her head and shuddered "But all’s well that ends well"

"Yes" I s kiss I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise as I heard footsteps walk into the roo there, looking at ave ood to see you"

"You, too" Her eyes searchedI had stepped towards her, brought her into iven her a kiss on the lips "Why, hello to you, too," she laughed, flushing a little

"I hope that was okay"

"It was led and touched her lips quickly "You taste like chocolate"

"Good taste buds" I save me one before we left the house to calood" She looked at hed "But I’ed the subject and she shook her head and48DDD ihed, and turned around when I realized that everyone in the roo at us

"Hey, bro" Zane winked at ht"

"I’ here anyway?"