“Of course.” He doesn’t mince words, a trait I’ve always respected. “And the truth about your arrangement.”
His driver pulls up just outside the exit doors. It’s starting to rain now, and the drops splatter against the door, blurring the lights of the waiting car.
“Good,” I say, looking him straight in the eyes. “Because I want to talk about what happened the night of Carmen’s accident.”
His brow furrows. “What does that have to do with now?”
“Everything.” I push open the door to the pouring rain, ready to go after the girl I love and the future I want with her.
As I climb into his vehicle, I think about Jaxon taking a direct hit, rather than sitting on the bench—choosing his dream over playing it safe.
Now it’s my turn to fight—for Scarlett and the future I should have claimed years ago.
My uncle settles into the seat next to me as the driver pulls away from the arena. “Before you talk to me about Scarlett, I need to tell you something important,” I say directly to him. “That night at the hospital, you made a choice that affected over a decade of my life.”
He doesn’t respond, just looks out at the blurry city lights.
“So whatever you think you know about our relationship, we’re going to start there. And then you’re going to listen to the truth about how I feel about Scarlett Rossi.”
The rain pounds against the roof of the car as Rafael finally turns to me. “All right, Brendan. I’m listening.”
THIRTY-THREE
Scarlett
I’ve always been stubborn. That’s how I’ve been able to survive all the hard knocks in the past year. But after this weekend, I suddenly don’t feel like fighting anymore. I feel hollow, like there’s no more grit left in me.
I open the door to the cafe and flip on the lights. It’s early and I’m exhausted, but customers will arrive just like they always do. That’s one constant in life: no matter how difficult things are, the rest of the world keeps moving. I guess if there’s one thing to be grateful for, it’s the fact that Dad is home and on the mend. Wish I could say the same for my heart.
I shove a hand into my pocket and finger the business card, the one I still haven’t made a decision about. I know what I want. But I can’t seem to do what needs to be done. The envelope from our landlord still sits on the counter, a reminder that I can’t ignore the impending lease increase, no matter how much I want to.
I grab the broom and start sweeping the floor near the coffee station. The door clicks behind me, and when I turn around, my brother walks in. He doesn’t say a word as he stops a few feet away from me.
I pause, broom in hand. “What are you doing here?”
He takes off his cap, fiddling with it. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“I thought we talked at the hospital.”
“No,youtalked.”
My brother had been working on Mona’s engine and hadn’t heard his phone, which is why he didn’t get Mom’s call. When he finally arrived at the hospital, I told him everything—about the dating agreement, the loan Brendan had given him, and Rafael’s ultimatum. And then, because I was done keeping things to myself, I told him the part that mattered most: that I loved Brendan Marco and he loved me.
Eli and I have never been great at telling each other the truth. We’re better at circling around it, trying to protect each other and ourselves. But I was done with that, too. I knew if I wanted honesty from Eli, I’d have to give it first. Eli listened in silence, then walked out without a word.
I lean against the broom. “Okay, what do you want to tell me? I’m about to open for the day.”
“I want things to be different between us.” He drags his hand through his hair, then slaps the cap back on. “It’s time for me to be honest with you.”
“About time,” I mutter under my breath before I return to sweeping.
He watches the broom move across the old pine flooring. “Everything Brendan said was true.”
I stop mid-sweep. “What do you mean?”
“I borrowed money from him for the app developer and asked him not to tell anyone.” He looks down at the floor. “When the company went belly-up, I didn’t want to admit to you that I couldn’t repay the loan.”
I frown. “Why?”