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Bray swore Dixie had a crush onthat for years I didn’t knohy as Steel was her age and he was popular in their grade I knew that if she showed any interest in hi made me stop the truck in the middle of the road, put it in park, and look back at Dixie Monroe I knew that pulling into her drive and walking to her wasn’t a good idea I wanted to join her, to hear her laugh and watch her smile, to simply be near her for a little while, but I knew better

Instead, I chose to sit here in my truck Let my presence communicate all I couldn’t say That I saw her That I wished things were different But for both our sakes, it was best that I stayed in e that

I figured one day, once ere both adults, the three years between us wouldn’t matter any on o off to college and et a chance? I didn’t like thinking I’d never get one

Dixie’s gaze was locked onainst it With nothing between us but darkness and onlyme visible to her, I crossed my arms over my chest, and just watched her back

For once, I let hts drift to all the "what ifs" I never allowedin that irls had tried to change e for The only girl I’d ever need

When she stood, her sudden aer Make thisas it could But I knew it shouldn’t, as innocent as it had been

For a second, I thought she was going to walk to h I had no idea what I would say if she did Words weren’t necessary during this perfect moment between us But she didn’t coaveback at ot back in ht, soed, we both knew things would never be the sa out I could only see the roof of the Sutton house as it was on the other side of the hill But I kneas there because I often stood here and let aze settle on that tin roof Meain as I let ust outside the grocery store, I droppedboth of us to scrarabbed a can of soup and handed it to me, the sht me by surprise and tookschool He was the Sutton boy I should’ve been drawn to, but he hadn’t been Asher was all I could see Froiven me a ride home from school in his wonderful old pickup truck, I’d been completely consumed by hi for hih the sa in the sah he was older and the most popular boy in town

That entire year I’d worshipped him from afar When he asked if I needed a ride, I always said yes Then that sue

My first day of high school, Asher becauy even lookedthe other way I loved it Although I hadn’t understood why he was doing it

It wasn’t until October of the year I turned fifteen that he ainst his truck and placed his hands on both sides of e When his lips touched mine, my body lit like a firecracker, and ere inseparable after that He took a football scholarship at the local junior college instead of going to a larger school just so he could be near me He said he’d wait and that he could always transfer to soraduated

But that didn’t happen None of that happened

One night he was lovingme he wanted me forever The next day he couldn’t even look ravel under the tires snapped me out of my trance I’d let myself be carried away by the lare of the sun Steel’s white truck was co down the drive He was here to tell me Asher was home I wasn’t sure what he wanted to do When Asher carandmother’s I didn’t have to face him then But now, if Asher was home, I’d have to face him with Steel I wasn’t ready for that, and I doubted I would ever be ready

The truck stopped and I watched as Steel juood in his worn jeans, but no one compared in my eyes to his older brother And I hated myself for it Steel didn’t deserve this Not when he had been so good toa smile I didn’t feel as Steel walked up the steps His serious expression was fixed on me and it made me fearful of what he had cohed, before looking back at me "You already know, don’t ya?" But he already knew the answer from the look on h and stuck his hands in his pockets "I ain’t seen him yet Bray called to warn me he was here Asher knows about us Bray told him, Dixie"

He knew about us? I had a million questions to ask at that moment: why Bray had told him, what he had said exactly, how Asher had reacted, whether he was upset But I didn’t ask any of the all I was feeling

Steel took onenow only a few inches froolden hue of his hair was fittingly different,all that optionna have to face hi soon and I don’t want him to I miss him, you knoant him around I know Momma wants hi between you andhe’ll have to deal with I think he’s gonna be okay We just need to get it over with You both need some closure"

Closure For the past three years, Scarlet had been saying the sa to me But I didn’t even knohat closure was If Asher suddenly toldme, would that actually make it better? Would I then be able to ht never heal, but at least now I kne to pretend

"Cobrother, I want this to be okay with usand also hio spend tis after you’ve caught up I don’t want to cause anyone to be unco to buy myself more time to prepare for the inevitable