“How did you do it?”
“God.”
“No. Really,” I say, wanting the honest answer. “How did you do it?”
She shakes her head. “I’m serious. After my brother died, I carried a lot of guilt and anger. I had no idea who I was without him, and I wasso angry at my parents. I had to learn forgiveness—both for them and myself. It wasn’t something I could do on my own. I wasn’t strong enough, but God was. He knew who I was long before I did.”
There’s that word again.Forgiveness.MJ and Gwen make it sound so simple, but it’s not. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to figure out how to forgive my mom for what she did, and I’ve failed every time.
______________________
MJ’s dress as fitting was nice. I actually had fun, and her dress was beautiful. We went out for lunch afterward, and I didn’t feel that overwhelming pressure to put on a mask and hide. I was just—free.
Now she’s driving me back home. Everything about me feels light—that is until I see a pickup truck waiting for me in my drive.
In a panic, I grab MJ’s arm.
”Don’t leave me here,” I beg. “Come inside with me.”
There’s laughter in her eyes when she glances at me as she pulls into the drive, blocking Theo’s truck.
“Does this have anything to do with the rumor I heard about you kissing him at the cookout?” she asks. Her voice is strained, trying to smother her laughter.
“Stupid small towns,” I mutter under my breath. Louder, I say, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Now, please don’t leave.”
She doesn’t hold back her laughter this time. It breaks free, and I know I’m screwed.
“I’m going to leave,” she says around each laugh. “But not because I’m a bad friend. I’m leaving because I’m a good friend, and I have a feeling you need to face whatever you’re avoiding there.”
MJ points her finger toward Theo’s truck, and I let my gaze follow.
Just like he was the day he asked me to date him—or fake date him—Theo is leaning against his truck, his arms crossed over his chest, and dang it if he doesn’t look good doing it.
I groan, and MJ laughs harder, reaching over to open my door.
“Good luck, she says, basically kicking me out.
Giving her one last glare for good measure, I get out of her car, dragging my feet up the driveway as I go.
“Hopeless,” Theo says with a smirk, but I ignore him, marching past him to the front porch, which no longer has loose boards because of him.
He follows.
Pushing my key into the lock, I try to slip inside and close the door, but Theo catches it, pulling it shut and boxing me in. I turn around to yell at him, but the words dry up in my throat. Theo towers over me, handsome and angry. One arm rests above my head while the other falls to my waist.
I don’t even know why I’m avoiding him this time. After he dropped me off to get my car from the store on the way back from Gwen’s, things between us were okay. I wouldn’t call us best friends, but the awkwardness from the kiss was gone. But now I find myself running for reasons that scare me.
“Are you planning on kidnapping me again?” I say, putting my hands on my hips and glaring up at him.
He shrugs and smirks, and that smirk makes my head dizzy. “Depends. Are you going to make me?”
“You know, maybe this is why you have to have a fake girlfriend. Because instead of asking a girl on a date, you just kidnap her.”
Theo’s smirk turns deadly. “If you wanted a date, hopeless, all you had to do was ask.”
“Ugh,” I say, dropping my head against the door. “You are infuriating.”
He leans his head down until we are eye to eye. “Have dinner with me, hopeless.”
