Kiss and Break Up (Magnolia Cove, #1)(53)

“What else would you think they’d assume after knowing where we’d been?”

I could feel my face drain as I floated away, adrift and blinking. “I don’t know.”

He leaned forward. “Look, I never planned for this to happen, Pegs. But I didn’t think they’d get this crazy, and I didn’t want lies spread about you. You’re my girlfriend,” he paused, “or you were. I hate to say this, but the only reason it’s such a big deal is because you’re walking around acting like you’ve been slapped.”

“Are you kidding?”

“No. That was harsh, but it’s true.” He sucked his lip, then winced and ran a finger over one of the healing cuts on it. “I waited all weekend for you to call and assumed you regretted what we did when you never did.” He looked at me then. “Which, it’s clear now that you do.”

“Byron—”

“Did you ever want me, Peggy?”

Guilt clogged my insides. “I did.”

He frowned, his hand grabbing mine. “This doesn’t need to be over, you know.” Our eyes met, the remnants of Dash’s hurt lingering over his face. My stomach roiled. “I know you said you were confused, but we can talk about it. If we walk out of here together, they’ll shut up sooner.”

I pulled my hand back and laughed, crazed and loud as I stood, my body engulfed in a cloud of suspended disbelief.

“Peggy, wait,” he called.

I didn’t. I waded back to my seat as jeers and laughter started up. I’d probably embarrassed him. Good. It was only a tiny morsel of what he deserved after leaving me to feel embarrassed for days.

“Are you okay?” Willa asked when I returned to our table.

“So not okay,” I muttered as the ache in my head spread to my eyes. “I hate this.”

Daphne patted my back, and then a commotion over by the doors had our heads spinning.

Lars had just stalked through them, and the teacher was calling after him. Annika was standing a few feet back from Mr. Andrews with a pinched face.

Daphne’s hand stilled. “What the hell?”

I wasn’t sure what had happened between them, but as I spied the crease marring Daphne’s forehead, I knew she was dying to find out.

The bell blared, and everyone started heading to the doors, but we waited.

“Aren’t you and Lars seeing each other?” Willa asked, tugging at the hem of her blouse.

“Seeing each other’s a nice little label for it,” Daphne admitted, then sighed. “But yes, we’re still seeing each other.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask more, but Willa beat me to it. “Exclusively?”

Daphne swallowed, then started collecting her trash. “Yeah.”

So it was understandable that she was wondering, probably a lot more than we were, about why Lars and Annika appeared to have had some kind of fight.

The rest of the day dragged, the clock in each classroom threatening to make my head explode as I twitched with agitation. My chat with Byron had changed nothing. He wouldn’t try to change anything. It would kill his pride and deflate that ego at this point.

Asshole.

“Hey, Newland,” Wade said during history, a pencil tapping at the edge of his desk. “You and Woods done?”

I didn’t want to pay him any mind, but I couldn’t help but say, “So done.”

He turned his attention back to the board, and I gave mine to a dent in the table, chewing on my nails.

When class finished, students hustling for the door all at once, Wade lingered as I got up and collected my things. “Think I can have your number?”

I blinked at his grinning face. “Um, no. Sorry.” I didn’t know why I bothered apologizing. Maybe it was the shock, but I hauled out of there in an instant.

At my locker, I grabbed my bag, stuffing the books I’d need for homework inside, when yet more whispers and gasps reached me. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me,” I said, slamming my locker and about to scream my way out of school.

I stopped as Daphne neared me, grabbing her books.

“Hey, Daph, if you’re done with Annika’s baby daddy, call me,” Danny said, gesturing with his hand to his ear. He and his friends laughed as they backed down the hall.

“Baby daddy?” I turned to Daphne.

Her mouth parted, and she seemed to fade into the rows of beige-colored lockers behind us. “He knocked her up.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement soaked in shock.

Which was confirmed when Willa raced over, worry etching her face and words. “You heard?”

Daphne jerked her head.

We stood frozen as half the school departed, and when Lars shouldered his bag, his head lowered as he walked down the hall, he didn’t even look at Daphne.





I passed the choc chip to Daphne and took the peppermint, dunking my spoon in.

We’d declared an emergency scrapbook meeting at my place, which had turned into an ice-cream pity party before we’d even made it here.

“Have you tried calling him?” Willa asked.

Daphne shook her head, her eyes red. I didn’t know if I’d ever seen her cry before, and I didn’t know that it was fair she looked even prettier when she did. “I don’t want to.”