Page 138 of Drive

“Lexi,” I said softly.

“He came to see me last night,” she said staring up at the ceiling.

Normally Lexi would have called and told me right away. It would have been huge news. She hadn’t so much as texted me. Maybe she really was okay. Maybe she’d found the strength in herself to not let her emotions rule her. The way I mistakenly thought avoiding mine would work for me.

“What did he say?”

She shrugged. “Later, this isn’t about Ben and me.” She turned to me. “I still love that asshole. But every day I live formeand that’s the best decision I’ve ever made. We’re supposed to be smarter than this, Stella.”

“We fucked that up really quick, all our plans. We lived together for ten minutes.”

“We never got our chance,” she reminded me.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too, but I wouldn’t trade my time with him for anything. Would you?”

“No, not with either of them,” I said honestly. “Even though the avalanche started because I just had to know what it was like to kiss Reid Crowne.”

“You could have missed it,” she reminded me. “And then where would youbothbe?”

“So what?” I sniffed. “I just accept Nate’s decision and move on?”

“No, he was angry, hurt, out of his mind jealous. I don’t think he’s really made his decision yet. And it’s your choice to wait him out. We’re just getting started, Stella.” she said with a sly smile. “It’s not too late.”

Reid’s same sentiments echoed.

“Come on. Let’s give Nate his space to realize what a jealous idiot he’s being. Come stay with me.”

“Lexi,” I said as I looked around our bedroom full of memories. “I messed up by letting go of his hand. I didn’t even realize I’d let go, didn’t even think about him.” I cringed. “All I could see, feel, was Reid.”

She pulled me to stand. “You’ve been fighting your feelings for Reid for so long. Maybe it was just your way of finally admitting it, giving yourself permission to love them both. But you won’t be good for either of them if you don’t realize what you want and make it happen. And the only way to do that is to take you out of both equations. Let it be.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” I said, staring at the picture on the floor. Nate’s smile was covered in shards of broken glass.

I picked it up and emptied them on the dresser, and turned it over to see that the picture was ruined.

“I chose him,” I said, staring at the black and white photo.

“Because he’s who you truly wanted or because you didn’t know what life with Reid would be like and you were too chickenshit to find out?”

I could never forget the way I felt when Reid sang for me. When he bared his soul in a room full of people without knowing I was watching. Had he always been that transparent with his feelings for me? Looking back, it was clear.

Yes, he had. And I had punished him.

They were both right.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

“Colorful”

The Verve Pipe

FIVE MONTHS LATER

I walked through the double doors of the bakery with a few shopping bags in my hand. I had woken up early to get a jump on the heat. I had absolutely no patience for Texas’s scorching temperatures in the month of July, or any other month for that matter. My phone buzzed, and I smiled at the screen before I answered.

“Woman, that man called again,” Lexi said.