Joshua Healy (The Mitchell/Healy Family #10)(38)

I was in shock when I saw her, unprepared with what to say. I don’t regret telling her the truth, but a part of me hated hurting her.

I’m so broken up about the ordeal that I remain in my room for half of the day. Tamsyn calls, and I consider letting it go to voicemail, but change my mind before I’m able to make that kind of mistake. “Hey, beautiful. Are you having a good time?”

“We’re about to go snorkeling. I didn’t sleep good. The beds suck. They’re hard.”

“You make me hard. I know how the poor mattress feels,” I tease.

The sound of her laughing cheers me up. “I miss you, darlin’.”

“You sound like an old man when you call me that. I miss you too, grandpa.”

“Listen, I don’t want to make you upset on your trip, but there’s something you need to know.” I open my mouth to say it and the words won’t come. Why ruin her trip and cause her to worry when nothing happened?

“Josh, you still there?”

“Yeah.”

“What were you going to say?”

I think of something to replace the idiot move I was about to make. “I wish you were here.”

“You’re sweet. I’ll call you tonight before bed, okay?”

“Yeah, that sounds nice.”

“Cheer up.”

“I’m good.” It’s the truth.

“Should we say it?” She cute to ask.

“I don’t know. Is it supposed to happen after every conversation? Is it weird if we start doing it all the time?”

“Are there actually rules?” She’s giggling like she gets a kick out of my question. “It’s fine. You’re right it’s weird. Maybe we’ll do it every other time.”



A knock distracts me. It’s my mom. She opens the door further to show me Olivia Parrish is standing beside her. I roll my eyes, but ignore the both of them to finish my conversation with Tamsyn. “I love you.” I say it loud enough where Liv can hear. Her face cringes the moment it happens. After seeing it, I turn my attention back to my call, looking in another direction as if I couldn’t be bothered with my visitor.

“Okay. Didn’t we just agree to not say it?”

I cackle. “It’s all good. Have fun in the water today. Don’t forget sunscreen. I don’t need that smooth skin red and scaly when you get home. Send me a pic of the tan lines this afternoon.”

“You’re crazy. Bye, babe.”

“Later.”

It’s not until I make sure the call has ended that I turn my attention back to Liv. My mom is gone. I double check before giving her a piece of my mind. “Why the hell are you here?”

“Jeffrey and I broke up. I’m not getting married.”

“You didn’t seem too broken up about it last night when you were begging me to f*ck you.”

“I wasn’t begging. I don’t beg.”

“Whatever.” I pick up a paddle and start playing a video game. “You know where the door is when you’re done staring.”

“I’m not leaving. You never answered me last night.”

“I thought I made it pretty damn clear where I stand.”

“You said you loved her, but that doesn’t mean you stopped loving me, Josh.”

“Jesus Christ, take a f*cking hint.”

She’s crying again. The heartless bitch that ruined my life is sobbing in front of me, because of me. I run my hands through my hair and try to rationalize with what’s going on. “I’m sorry. I never expected this.”

“It was time, Liv. Tamsyn is good to me. I won’t screw it up, regardless of our history.”

“What if I said I dropped everything to come back to you?”

“I’d say you’re a few months too late.”

“Just like that? Your feelings for me, that you’ve had your whole life, are gone?”

“I’m not talking about it.”

“Because I’m right.”

“We’re not kids anymore, Liv.”

I hear shuffling, but choose to ignore her to play my game, up until she’s standing in front of the screen in nothing but a pair of lace panties. No clothes. No bra. Just the skimpiest of panties. “Look at me, Josh.”

I throw the paddle down, but refuse to give her my attention. First off I’m pissed. Secondly, I’m scared. This is the type of shit only I could somehow get myself into. I’m trying my hardest to hate her, to hide the residual feelings that will probably never go away. I know right from wrong. She doesn’t belong here. I never asked for this.

“Please look at me,” she says as her hands come up and force me to do it. I stare into her eyes instead of looking at her body I memorized years ago.

“Don’t do this to me. Please go away. I don’t want to hurt Tamsyn. I promised.”

“My sweet Joshua, she never has to know.” Her hands run through my hair, while her breasts lean up against my face. I can feel a sting in my eyes, and know exactly what it implies. This is tearing me apart. For years I’ve wanted this. I’ve waited patiently. I’ve done everything in order to be free when she came to her senses, up until a month or so ago. Now my life is headed in another direction. I don’t want to look back. I can’t let this happen.