Taking the Risk by Scarlett Knight

Author:Scarlett Knight [Knight, Scarlett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798529140772
Google: LOuLzgEACAAJ
Amazon: B097FC4WNG
Goodreads: 58526307
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: 2021-06-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

“When was this taken?” Trish asked.

“Tonight. Like, literally moments before now.”

“I see.” She stood there for an agonizingly long silence before finally saying, “I think it’s time to go.”

I’d seen Trish angry before. She didn’t seem angry right now; she seemed numb. Defeated. The silence was thick as we walked out of the bar with hoods drawn and faces down.

“Shit,” I said, taking her arm to stop her. “We forgot to tip. I’ll be right back.”

I ran in, put on a smile, left a nice tip at the bar, and said thanks to Ricky. Then I raced back to find Trish standing right where I’d left her, staring off at nothing. I didn’t know what to say, so I just patted her on the shoulder, and she started walking with me.

I wanted this to be the last time Mac hurt her. I wanted her to move forward and leave his sorry ass behind. Worried that he’d really broken her heart this time, I made a mental list of all the things I was going to say to him when I saw him next, and it was not polite shit; let me tell you that.

When we got into the car, I tossed my shades into the cup holder and pushed my hood back. My heart was pounding with rage at what he’d done to her. She sat there and stared blankly at the dashboard. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Hey,” I said.

She turned toward me as if in a daze.

“I’d never treat you the way he has,” I said, my voice wavering with emotion. “Never.”

As she reached up and slowly removed her sunglasses, she stared deeply into my eyes, her clear gaze expressing a deep level of vulnerability that so few people had ever gotten to see. She removed her hood, shifting her body toward me.

“I want to ask you something,” I said.

She nodded.

“Do you remember that night, in my parents’ garage, the night that—”

“Yes.”

My throat went dry, my palms perspiring. “You mean—”

“Yes, I remember.” She kept her eyes locked on mine, her gaze only growing in intensity. “I’ve always remembered.”

A lump filled my throat. All the agony of not knowing evaporated like mist. The truth was finally out, and it was as if I had always known.

“The next morning,” I said, “you acted like you didn’t remember. I thought you’d blacked out because you were so drunk.”

“I was scared, CJ. I was scared because of how much I loved you. I didn’t think it was reciprocal. I kept waiting for you to bring up the kiss, and—”

“Me?” I asked.

“Yes, and when you didn’t, and then we met Mac the next night, I…”

I braced myself at the mention of his name. As she put a slightly trembling hand to her forehead, I looked away. She never liked it when people saw her cry. I stared at the steering wheel and tried to process the information that she’d just given me.

She had remembered our kiss. She had been waiting the next morning for me to bring it up.

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