much as he tries to fight it, he always caves in, engaging with her.
Lincoln rubs his forehead. “He’s going to kick my ass for this, so be happy that I like you.”
“Just tell him I went through Lincoln’s phone and gave it to you,” Cassidy says with a shrug. The girl is a brave one, not even flinching at the possible wrath of Archer.
Lincoln shakes his head. “I’ll text you the address.”
Cassidy peers up at me. “You okay to drive? I can take you if you want?”
“She wants a front seat to the shitshow,” Lincoln comments.
She whips around to glare at him. “Rude. I also want to make sure she’s cool to drive.”
“I’m fine. They told me to wait forty-eight hours before driving, and it’s been a week. I haven’t felt dizzy at all. All I need from you is for you to cover my shift tonight.”
She points at me and clicks her tongue. “I got you.”
46
Archer
As soon as I answer the door, papers are shoved into my chest.
“Fuck these papers,” Georgia shouts, storming into the lake house. “Fuck your games. Fuck your excuses. Fuck you, Archer!”
The papers plummet to my feet, and stepping to the side, I slam the door shut. “Georgia, calm your ass down.”
Her thick hair is wet, dripping at the ends, and her shirt is soaked to her skin from the downpour outside.
Why the hell was she driving?
Why the hell did my dumbass brother tell her where to find me, give her directions, and not give me a heads-up?
Georgia stares at me, shivering. “No, I won’t calm my ass down.” Her voice cracks as she continues, “You left me, Archer! You left me in the hospital.”
I shake my head before laying out my bullshit excuse. “I went to the hospital and made sure you were okay.”
“Then you left!”
“What did you expect me to do?” I pound my finger against my chest. “My actions were what landed you in that hospital bed. It’s time you find a man who isn’t a toxic son of a bitch like me.”
“What did I expect you to do? I don’t know … uh, stay! I’ve been there for you over and over, but when it came time for you to be there for me, you ran.” Tears fill her eyes, mascara running down her cheeks—pain and the rain the culprits.
My stomach knots, blistering with torment. “I’m sorry. It was the wrong way to end things, but by now, you should know that it was best for me to walk away.”
“You’re right.” A cold smile creeps up her lips, sending chills down my spine. “I don’t want to try to make it work with you anymore. You’re selfish.”
I stumble back a step, her words a blow to my chest.
Isn’t that what I wanted?
For her to be done with my ass?
“What? You have nothing to say?” she rasps. “Of course you don’t. I’m out of here.”
My head spins, and I thank God I put down the bottle of Jack I’d been sipping on earlier, finally realizing it was time I quit relying on alcohol to mask my torment. Being alone in this lake house with hours upon hours to think has opened my eyes. Lincoln, Georgia, everyone was right. It’s time for me to sit down, pull through my shit, and be the man Georgia deserves.
That means I have to let her go.
Who knows how long it’ll take me to sort out my shit?
I teeter back when her shoulder smacks into mine on her way to the door.
Whipping around, I circle my arm around her waist to stop her. “No way are you driving in this weather.”
She jerks away from me, venom in her tone. “In what?”
She shitting me?
I gesture outside. “It’s dark, like a fucking monsoon out there. You’re upset, and it’s a long drive. You’re not getting behind the wheel.”
Her face burns with anger. “I’m sure as shit not staying here and hanging out with you.”
“Too damn bad. You’re the one who drove here, stomping and ready to kick my ass—”
“Which is fully deserved.”
“I’ll take that.”
She crosses her arms. “Take me home then.”
“Neither one of us is driving in this weather.” I’ll confiscate her keys, hide them, flush them down the damn toilet if I have to.
“This is entrapment.”
“I’ll let you go tomorrow.”
She slips a glance at the papers on the floor, and I follow her gaze, recoiling as I stare at my handwriting, at the bullshit letter I wrote. Sure, it was a stupid move on my part, but it