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"Like what?"

"You know, e, kids, white picket fences They’ve been married for forty years, and honestly? They really do have the perfect relationship They hardly ever fight, they tell each other everything, they’re ht in his eyes "They want the sa for me They want me to be smart and successful, marry the perfect woed in "Like I said last week, perfection doesn’t exist"

"Tell that to the his features

And the…guilt?

God, sometimes it was impossible to read this man

"But what about what you want?" she pointed out "I s for you, but do you want to get married and have kids?"

"Sure One day" His jaw tensed, and then he corrected himself "No, I want it now"

Brett raised her eyebrows "Really?"

With a pained expression, he curled his hands over thefor in my next relationship--so returned, which only added to her confusion The reminder that she wasn’t in a relationship with AJ troubled her more than she wanted to ad on his face He was deeply upset, yet she couldn’t figure out why

And his next revelation just made her head spin harder

"Look, I owe it to theet a chance to respond He was already gone, steering the cart toward the line The elderly woroceries, whichBrett no opportunity to question hi the groceries through, but the second they stepped outside, she couldn’t hold back any longer

"What do you mean, you owe it to them?"

AJ didn’t meet her eyes as he unlocked the Jeep A second later, he was loading the bags in the back, acting like she wasn’t even there

But Brett refused to let it go

"What did you er’s seat as AJ started the car "Why exactly do you think you owe your parents solanced over, acknowledging her presence

"Why?" she pressed

His voice cary rush "Because I’m the reason their son died"

Chapter Eleven

Christ The last thing AJ wanted to do was bare his soul in the parking lot of a Fresh Mart, but once the confession flew out, he couldn’t take it back