Wide Open Spaces (Shooting Stars #2) - Aurora Rose Reynolds Page 0,32
come home.”
“Who knows what would have happened to us if I stayed, or if I came back?” I whisper, then feel his hand slide over mine and down my ring finger.
“You’re right. We’ll never know what would have happened, but you need to know I didn’t just move on. I didn’t just stop loving you,” he says quietly, as his hand slides up my arm and around the back of my neck. His lips touch mine softly, so very softly that I’m almost not sure it happened before they’re gone and he’s standing a few feet away. “I’m gonna leave through the front. Lock the door when you go in.”
Then he disappears into my room, sliding the door closed behind him. I don’t know how long I sit out there, thinking about everything he said after he leaves, but by the time I go in, a million stars are littering the darkness above me.
Aubrey
“Steven,” I call into my brother’s dark room, after shutting the door behind me. “Steven.” I move closer to his bed then trip over something and almost fall on my face, catching myself at the last second before I hit the ground.
“What the hell are you doing in here, Bre? Get out,” Steven gripes, and I roll my eyes then feel around for the lamp I know is next to his bed and turn it on. “What the fuck?” he shouts, and I jump on him, covering his mouth while looking at the door.
“Don’t wake up Dad.”
“Get off me,” he growls from under my hand, trying to push me away, but I hold on tighter, as tight as I can, but he’s always been stronger than me, so it takes a lot of strength to keep my hold.
“I have to tell you something!” I cry, when he dislodges my hand and shoves me away.
“It’s…” He looks at the clock. “It’s after midnight. What could you possibly have to tell me right now?” He narrows his eyes, and I lick my lips, wondering if I should tell him what I want to tell him. He loves our mom like a lot, and I know he always takes her side on everything, but I don’t have anyone else I can possibly tell. “Bre, talk or get out now.”
“Dad’s in love with Shelby,” I squeak, and his brows dart together.
“What?”
“Dad’s in love with Shelby, and he’s been in love with her forever.”
“So?”
“What do you mean ‘so?’” I shout, then cover my mouth and listen for any sign that my dad heard me.
“I mean so, who cares?” He shrugs, lying back down and reaching for the light.
“You don’t care?” I whisper, rubbing my hands together. His hand pauses as his eyes move back to me.
“No,” he mutters, then turns off the light, casting the room back to complete darkness.
“Why hasn’t Dad ever had a girlfriend?”
“I don’t know and don’t care, Bre. Now go away.”
“Dad’s still in love with her, and he has been forever. He said he regrets never going after her when she left.”
“He told you that?” His tone is filled with disbelief, and I hear the bed move then light fills the room.
“No, not me. He told her that.”
“What?” Taking a seat at the end of his bed, I wrap my arms around my waist and bite my lip. “Bre,” he growls.
“I went to talk to Dad, but he was outside with her and they were talking. I heard our names, so I listened to what they were saying. He told her that he regrets not going after her and bringing her back here. He told her that he didn’t move on and didn’t stop loving her.”
“Okay.”
“What do you mean ‘okay?’” I cry, throwing out my hands.
“I just mean okay.” He shrugs. “I don’t know what you want me to say. So what? Dad’s in love with her. Who cares?”
“I want Dad to be happy,” I whisper. “She doesn’t want to give him a chance. We have to make her give him a chance.”
“Bre.” He rubs his face and groans.
“Please, Steven.”
“What do you want us to do?” He tosses his hands up in the air. “Seriously, Bre, what can we do?”
“I don’t know, but there has to be a way to make her see that Dad is a good guy and make her fall in love with him too.”
“You’re crazy, Bre. You can’t make people fall in love.”
“I shouldn’t have asked you to help me,” I mumble, wishing I had friends that I could talk to about this.