Kiss and Break Up (Magnolia Cove, #1)(60)

“I haven’t lost control of a damn thing.”

“Partying every weekend, getting suspended from school for beating someone up, and let’s not even get started on the lack of respect you have for me and your mother.”

I coughed, my chest rattling. “Mainly just Mother Dearest.”

He made a growling sound, and I cringed. Too far. “Fine, fine.” I waved an arm. “I’ll be better, do better, whatever.”

Dad remained there, his judgment and the unspoken words he was keeping tucked away hanging heavy in the stale air of my room. After a minute, he sighed. “You have today to be hungover, then I want you up and out of the house. No video games tomorrow.”

That had me rolling over. Church protested, his nails scoring into my back. I hissed. “What? What does playing a few games have anything to do with?”

“You have brand-new bikes in the garage and acres of land behind the house to ride them on. Get out and do that, or I don’t know …” He threw around the hand that wasn’t wrapped around his mug. “Clean up this shit-sty of a room.”

“That’s what Franny is for,” I said to his retreating back.

“Franny said she doesn’t want to enter your dungeon anymore. Occupational hazards.”

“Occupational what?” I glanced around at the junk lining the floor. It wasn’t too bad. Just food wrappers, clothes, textbooks, gaming consoles and cords, and some empty glasses and bowls. I harrumphed, then flopped back down on the bed to bask in my misery.

Today, I would mope.

Tomorrow, I would mope too, but I would do it while trying to win my best friend back.





Peggy



“Peggy.” Mom tapped at the door. “I need to head into town for a bit.”

I rolled my head off my pillow enough to mumble, “Awesome.”

A pause, then, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

Mom waited a beat. “Okay. Call me if you need anything. Hopefully, I won’t be long.”

I felt like reminding her that I was eighteen and I was quite capable of being left home alone, broken heart or not. That wouldn’t fly, and it wasn’t fair to take how I was feeling out on her, but I was beginning not to care.

It cost too much to care, when all I could see were two figures moving in a bed, and hear the sound of Kayla’s moaning. In a continuous loop, it all circled and recycled. I couldn’t shut it off. So I tried to sleep instead, but even behind tear-swollen lids, everything chased me and demanded I look.

Look at what you’ve done.

Look at what we’d gone and done.

A few kisses had changed everything. Or maybe it would’ve changed anyway. Who knew. I suppose we might never know. But it shouldn’t have happened the way it did. If we were always destined to wind up walking this path with each other, I didn’t think it was meant to be like this. Anything but this splitting ache that wouldn’t remove its teeth from my heart.

Thudding at the window had me rolling over, and I blinked, wiping my mouth as a shadow appeared behind the curtains.

“Pegs.”

My heart plummeted, then bounced.

He rattled the window. “Let me in, Freckles, or I’ll blow this cardboard box down.”

“Go home, Dash.”

“See? A box. I shouldn’t have been able to hear that, but I did.” He paused. “Or maybe I just imagined it, but whatever. Let me in.”

I ignored him but watched as his palms slid down the glass trying to find enough purchase to lift the locked window.

“Fine. You’ve left me no choice.”

I frowned at the words, then my heart boomed as he wedged something beneath the old wood, paint chipping and falling as he tried to jimmy the window open.

“Oh, my freaking God.” I threw the covers off and, clad in only an extra-long T-shirt, panties, and my hair a mess atop my head, I raced down the hall to open the front door.

As if this was his plan, he was already there, a blinding grin on his face as he stepped inside, making me stumble back a step. “You look like hell.”

“Are you serious right now?” I shut the door, not to keep him in, but to keep anything that might be said away from any neighbors walking by.

He tipped a shoulder, then walked into the living room, leaning against the back of the couch with his ankles crossed. “I’m here to grovel.”

My bleary eyes widened as I laughed. “Who actually says that? Instead of just doing it?”

His smirk was going to have my nails clawing at his face if he didn’t wipe it off. “Clearly, I do. Want me to get on my knees? I haven’t put my mouth on you yet, but if you sidle on over here, I’d be more than happy to service you.” His eyes journeyed down my thighs, his teeth pinching his full bottom lip even as his fists and jaw clenched. “To rid any and all remnants of the scum who touched you.”

Saliva thickened over my tongue, and my throat swelled. “You’re such a dick.”

I went to the door, about to open it, when he said, “Okay, okay. That was probably too soon. I’m sorry, okay? Like insanely fucking sorry.”

I stopped moving, my body tensing all over.

“I’m self-centered, but we know that.” His footsteps neared, boots heavy on the wood floor. His voice became a soft plea. “I didn’t know you were so confused, Peggy. I didn’t think you even liked the guy. But even so, I know I went about this all wrong. I’ve fucked it all up, and I’m sorry.”