Chapter 313
+25 BONUS
Hayden and I stood by the river, listening to the water while the wind whipped through the trees.
After a while, my legs started giving out. I was exhausted.
“What’s wrong?” Hayden asked.
“I need to sit. My legs are sore,” I admitted.
Without missing a beat, he scooped me up by the waist, carrying me over to a big rock like I weighed nothing. Even though he did stuff like this all the time, I still acted shy. “I can walk, you know.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you just say your legs were sore? How’re you gonna walk?”
I stuck out my tongue and let him win that one.
He set me down, then sat beside me, but b I could scoot closer, his arm hooked around my waist and pulled me right into his lap. What was he up to now?
Before I could ask, he whispered in my ear, “The rock’s cold.”
Seriously, was there a more thoughtful boyfriend than Hayden?
“Thanks, boyfriend,” I said, giving him a quick kiss. But the second my lips touched his, something felt off. There was this faint trace of tobacco. 1 froze.
Had he been smoking?
So, he came to the river by himself to smoke.
Realizing why I pulled back, Hayden sighed, “I won’t smoke anymore. Today was the last time.”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to quit for me.”
He looked at me, his eyes locking with mine.
I brushed my fingers over his brow. “Just don’t overdo it. It’s bad for you.” As I said it, a weird sadness crept in. My chest tightened, and I felt that familiar sting of tears. “Hayden, you’re the closest person I have now. Please… take care of yourself. I need you around for a long time.”
The idea of forever used to feel so distant, but suddenly, I couldn’t wait for it.
He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he held me tighter.
My mind drifted to the accident report I still hadn’t finished. I’d stopped reading halfway through, unable to bring myself to see the conclusion.
“Hayden, did you read the report about my parents‘ accident?” I asked, resting my head against his chest.
He held me a little closer before answering in a low voice, “It’s over now. Let’s not dig it up.”
I knew he was worried I’d break down again. “I’m not scared like before.”
Even though I said that, the thought of those pictures made me shudder. So instead, I asked him, “Can you just tell me?”
Chapter 313
+25 BONUS
“Tell you what?” he asked softly.
“What did the report say? How did it end?”
Hayden went quiet, and my heart dropped. I pulled back, looking up at him. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Was something wrong?”
His gaze fell, his eyes clouding over.
I swallowed hard. “Hayden.”
After a beat, he said, “It was a problem with the car.”
I frowned. “What kind of problem?”
Hayden opened his mouth, but no words came out. Suddenly, Lindey’s words from before flashed in my mind. “Was it the brakes?” I asked directly.
