If I Could: A Small Town Grumpy Sunshine Romance by Allie Everhart

Author:Allie Everhart [Everhart, Allie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-07-21T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

KYLE

I wake up suddenly and forget where I am for a moment, my body tense and rigid. Looking around, I remember I’m not home. Not in my room. Not in that house. Only then do I let myself relax, taking a deep breath.

Feeling something against me, I look down and see Sage nestled under my arm, her head on my chest. She’s sound asleep, looking both beautiful and sweet.

The TV is making a low humming noise and I see it flickering with static. I search for the remote to turn it off but can’t find it. Then I see it on the couch cushion, sticking out from under Sage’s leg. I reach down and try to gently slide it out from under her without waking her up.

She moves a little, her eyes still closed, and mumbles, “Kyle.”

Hearing her say my name in her sleep makes me smile. Maybe she’s dreaming about me. If so, I hope it’s all good. I don’t want her thinking bad things about me. I’m not a bad person. My father is, but I’m not. I may be lying to her but it’s for her own good. For her safety.

When we got home earlier I almost let the truth slip out. I wanted to tell her everything; what I’ve been through, where I’m really from, and why I had to go into hiding. I’m sick of keeping all this a secret. If I could just tell one person I’d feel better and could maybe get another opinion on what to do.

But I can’t tell Sage. I can’t get her involved in this. Even just knowing the truth could put her in danger if my father ever found out. Making money is all that matters to him and if anyone interferes with that, or even poses a threat of interfering, he’ll go after them. He’ll make sure they keep quiet.

I already told Sage too much. I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out. When I’m around her I start to relax, and when I relax I tell her things I shouldn’t.

When I mentioned my brother I wasn’t even thinking. When it slipped out and she asked about him, I didn’t know what to say. When I lied about having a sister in France, the made-up story came easily, maybe because I was telling it to Nina and not Sage. Lying to Sage is harder because I really do want to be truthful with her. I just can’t.

Thinking about it now, it’s really not a big deal if Sage knows I have a brother. Knowing that doesn’t give anything away so I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. Luckily, I found a way to explain my reaction by pretending my brother and I are no longer speaking. It’s true but it’s not because we’re fighting. It’s because talking to him could put us both in danger. I haven’t spoken to Cain since the night I was almost killed.

“Kyle?” Sage lifts her head off my chest.

“I’m right here.

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