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“It wasn’t. I promise you.”

She slouched to the edge of her bed and placed her head in her hands.

“Why should I believe you?”

I took a tentative step forward until I knelt in front of her. She lifted her head when she sensed my presence.

“This is all on me.” I said. “I made the bet, because I let jealousy get the best of me.”

“What were you jealous of?”

I hesitated, searching for the courage to confess my feelings.

“I was jealous because my brother has your heart.”

Before she could open her mouth, a sharp knock echoed through the room, scattering my mind like the leaves in the wind.

“Sawyer, can we please talk?”

I froze as the sound of my brother’s voice filtered through the closed door. It was as if he’d knocked me back into reality. With a heavy sigh, I turned to face her with regretful eyes.

“I’ll leave you both to talk.”

She nodded in understanding. As I made my way to her window, a sense of desire gnawed at me. I wanted her to tell Joshua to leave. To ask me to stay so that we could sort things out. I wanted her to choose me. But she didn’t.

I slipped into the night, leaving behind the girl that I loved. My confession meant nothing. Her heart belonged to my brother.

??

42

“I’ll be yours and You’re Mine.”

I’ll Be Yours, Those Dancing Days

Joshua

I stood outside Sawyer’s closed bedroom door. The flashbacks of her terrified face at the party still lingered. My heart was heavy with regret and longing as I knocked again.

To my relief, the door creaked open, but concern replaced it as I saw her tear-stricken face framed in the dim hallway light. Wordlessly, she stepped aside, allowing me to enter. Her expression remained guarded.

“I am so sorry.” I said, my words heavy with remorse. “This is all my fault. I never meant to hurt you, but I keep messing up.”

She listened in silence as I poured my heart out. I continued my ramblings.

“I love you, Sawyer.” I said. “That bet I made with Asher was a mistake, but I would have never had the courage to ask you out if I didn’t accept.”

I reached over to place my hand on hers. She didn’t pull away. It gave me the courage to slide my fingers through hers.

“When Ava told me about the bet, I didn’t want to believe it.” She said. “I trusted you.”

My heart ached at the pain in her voice. The realization of what I’d done hit me like a punch in the gut.

“I am so sorry.”

She sighed and gazed across her room, her eyes brimming with tears.

“I’d always dreamed of finding a guy like you.” She said. “The closest thing to the love I read about in books.”