The Perfect First (Fulton U, #1)(65)

“He was being such an asshole, constantly picking her apart. Everything she did was wrong. Every move she made should have been faster or slower. I told you about what happened at my parents’ place when she knocked over the glass of wine.”

He nodded.

“Man, with the way her dad laid into her when she spilled white wine on the table, I’m surprised she didn’t bolt straight from the house.”

“That bad, huh?”

I punched my fist into my open palm. “Worse. It was horrible, and I knew if I didn’t get out of there, things were going to go sideways. I just left. I stormed out of the house and left her there.”

“What were you supposed to do?”

“She ran after me and stared back at me like that was just how it was. I asked her to come with me.”

“I take it she didn’t.”

I shook my head. “No, and I left.”

“When it comes to family, stuff gets complicated. You know that just as well as anyone else. We all have our issues when it comes to family, some worse than others. Some we can outrun, and others we can’t.” His lips pressed together in a grim line.

“I’m pretty sure she hates me for walking out on her like that.” Running my hands over my face, I let out a growl. I should have thrown her over my shoulder and taken her out of there. We could have gone back to my hotel room, taken a shower, had overpriced drinks from the mini bar, and watched movies together. “She probably feels like I abandoned her to her executioner.”

“She doesn’t.” He dropped his hand onto my shoulder.

My eyebrows furrowed. “What makes you say that?”

“Because she’ll be here in about two minutes.” He cracked a smile. He’d had this up his sleeve this whole time.

I shot up from the bench. “What?”

“She sent me a message and I said I’d help her find you. When I spotted you in here, I told her where you were.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “You can thank me later.”

“What were you going to do if I’d let you leave before?”

He shrugged. “Let you wallow in your misery a little longer.”

I chucked my sweaty towel at his head. “Asshole.”

The door to the gym swung open. Seph stepped inside with her hands clasped in front of her against her calf-length coat. She tugged at her thumbs, biting the lips I’d been deprived of for days.

“I’ll leave you two to it.”

“Thanks,” I said absently, my full attention riveted to Seph.

Nix walked out the door, pausing beside her. “Told you I’d find him for you.” He threw a look over his shoulder.

“I appreciate it.”

He walked out. Her gaze lifted to mine, and she still nibbled on her bottom lip. When she let it loose from between her teeth, it was fuller and glistened in the light. I wanted to run my fingers across it.

Her hair was half up and half down. Her crown of braids was still there, but the gentle waves settled around her shoulders like they had when I’d run my fingers through them, like I wanted to right now.

She stepped forward but stopped halfway across the room like she wanted to be able to make a fast getaway. “I came to say sorry.”

I wiped the sweat off my face with a towel. “Why are you sorry, Seph?” It seemed like she’d spent her whole life being sorry and apologizing for shit she didn’t need to.

“For Thanksgiving. I shouldn’t have invited you in the first place. It was a mistake.”

That stung. Like a ninety-yard pass thrown from ten feet away, it slammed straight into my chest. “You didn’t want me there?” Why did I sound like a needy little kid who’d been disinvited from a party?

“No.” Her voice rang out in the rafters of the gym and she shook her head, taking a step closer. “I wanted to see you. I wanted to spend the holiday with you. I wanted it to be as warm and inviting as when I got to meet your family, but—” Her chin dropped. “My dad doesn’t make that easy.”

My fists clenched at my sides.

The overhead lights caught the thin silver looped around her neck and disappearing down into her shirt. Moving forward, I lifted my hand and slid it under the chain. The backs of my fingers skimmed along her chest, and she didn’t step away.

Running my hand under the metal, I lifted the charm I’d gotten for her out from under her shirt. It was warm in my hand, heated by her skin. “You’re wearing it.” I stared down at the inscription on it. When I’d seen it, I had picked it up without a second thought. After spending that dinner with her family, I’d realized how much she needed to hear those words.

“I haven’t taken it off since you gave it to me.” Her words were barely above a whisper.

My throat tightened. I ran my thumb across the inscription. My knuckles brushed against her chest right at the base of her throat.

She swallowed, the hollow of her throat jumping. “It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten. Thank you.” Her hand covered mine, so soft and delicate, long and slender, refined just like her. They contrasted with my rough and overly large ball-catching hands. We were opposite in so many ways, but we fit.

“It’s one hundred percent true, all the time.”

Her head dipped. My lips ghosted against her forehead as she spoke. “It’s hard to believe it when you’ve never been enough, when no matter how hard you try, you’re always lacking.” Her whispered words sent that old anger pulsing through my veins, but that came second to making her see the truth.