Pull (Seaside #2)(27)

Honestly I had no idea how the hell I knew it, or that his face reminded me of Alec’s. I shrugged. “The way you are with her, almost as if you’re trying to be him or something. Like you owe her what he didn’t follow through on. I don’t know, maybe I’m just losing my mind, but I do know one thing. You can’t take his place, man.” I looked at him dead on. “That’s how I can tell.”

“Shit.” Sam hit his hand against the coffee table and cursed again. “I know I can’t take his place, don’t you think I know that?”

“Then what the hell are you doing?” I said it calmly. I needed him to see what he was doing. The shell of a life he was leading. I don’t even know how I knew it. I could just tell. He was miserable. He didn’t want to be in Seaside, working at the aquarium.

“She needs me.”

“You can’t save her.” Whoa. Where did that come from?

Was I suddenly being gifted with wisdom instead of jackass-ness?

Sam nodded his head and then got to his feet and slowly walked to the couch where Connor sat.

“I’m sorry, man.” Connor shook his head. I’d never seen a guy cry like that before. Sobs wracked his body. I wasn’t one for man love, but I couldn’t just let him sit there. So I sat next to him on the couch and patted his back while Sam sat next to him and cried as well.

I wasn’t sure if this meant I was the worst group facilitator in the world or the best. I felt raw, upset, so many things. I didn’t even want to acknowledge my own feelings, because if I did I’d realize what a complete ass I’d been for the last two years.

People were hurting in this world.

Yes. I’ve had my fair share. But at least I had family to help me get over it. I had Alec and Nat. I was able to power through, finally.

But these people. Their cuts were still wide open for the world to see. Alyssa especially, and a part of me realized that it would take a lot more than group therapy to help the girl.

I steered the conversation toward our next meeting and walked everyone out. Sam and Connor both stopped in front of me.

Both of them had ghosts of a smile on their faces.

“Thanks, man.” Connor pulled me into a hug and slapped my back.

“No problem.” I coughed.

Sam shook his head. “Of all the people to work through this shit with us…”

I rolled my eyes. “I know, I know. I’m probably the worst.”

Sam swallowed and looked down at the ground. “No, um, I was going to say you’re probably the best.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“Are you hitting on me?” I joked.

Sam rolled his eyes. “And there he is, Demetri Daniels, certified man-whore. We’ll see you later, man.”

“Wait, you don’t want my number?” I smirked, this time I was serious.

The guys laughed and we traded numbers before I shut the door behind them.





Chapter Thirteen


Alyssa


I ran as fast as I could, but the nightmare just kept catching up to me. I saw blood, too much blood.

Sweat poured down my face as my feet pumped against the concrete. Tears mixed with sweat trickled down my lips as I gasped for air. My side hurt, my legs hurt, everything hurt, especially my heart.

Finally, after an hour of running up and down the boardwalk, I found myself at the Aquarium.

It was tourist season, so it was still open.

I walked in and found Sally right away.

Memories of Brady feeding the seals rushed back to me.

“You have to be careful, Alyssa, don’t want the seals biting your hand off.”

I rolled my eyes. “Brady, I’m fine, just give me the fish.”

“Say please.”

“No.”

“What?” He laughed, his blue eyes sparkling. “Did you just say no?”

I nodded my head and stuck out my tongue. “I will not apologize, now give me the fish.”

“At least pay the toll.”

“Fine.” I stepped forward and kissed him on the lips.

Sally chose that exact moment to splash both of us.

Brady laughed and lifted me up so he was bracing me against the wall. “I kind of like you, you know that, right?”

“I kind of like you too,” I said, breathless.

“You’re a hot cheerleader.”

“You’re a sexy quarterback.”

We laughed and kissed some more. Sally splashed for attention.

I didn’t realize I was still crying until I noticed my tears were falling onto the concrete fence in front of the cage.

“You okay?” The voice pierced my pain, only slightly. I turned to see Demetri leaning against the door.

“How’d you know I was here?”

“Easy.” He shrugged. “I put a tracking device in your taffy.

It’s all part of my evil plan to take over the world. One hot girl at a time.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. The jerk, he would make me laugh when I was trying to wrap myself up in all that pain.

“Truthfully?” He walked toward me and leaned against the concrete wall. “I figured this was where I would go if I were you. It has happy memories, and right now you need to be cheered up.”