Cake Read Free Page B

I know I can’t return those feelings. Someone else owns them. He always has.
     
    I feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I don’t look up as I almost run down the stairs leading to the lawn in my haste to disappear. That moment made two emotions blatantly obvious: Misery because I’m in love with someone who I’m not sure will ever love me back and remorse for sleeping with this decent guy when I knew I was in love with the one that makes me miserable. Fucking viscous cycle.
     
    Following a trail along the lake, I trip over a rock, painfully stubbing my toe. “OUCH! God bless it!” I say, while hopping on one foot. Why do I feel like I am frozen in my life? What is wrong with me? Trent doesn’t love me like I want or need. He sees me as a sister figure and always has. He’s made it very clear that we can’t be anything else because he doesn’t want to lose me. I made the decision a long time ago to accept that and love him however he needs, but every time I try to move forward, no one measures up. Even Jason doesn’t evoke the same connection I feel when I’m with Trent.
     
    Some days, I feel like I can wait Trent out, make him love me at some point later on in life, but as my Aunt Leigh reminded me recently, what if I wake up one day an old lady, alone in my bed because I tried to wait him out? What then? Will I look back at my life and be proud that I stayed true to him or would I hate myself for letting it all pass me by? For letting someone like Jason slip through my fingers, not appreciating what he may be offering?
     
    Wiping a stray tear from my cheek with my palm, I rush forward, trying to navigate far away from the others. I feel like my chest tightens with every step. I have so much going on in my life. My aunt is going to die, and what am I going to do without her? She has always been my rock. I feel distraught at the thought of not having her to confide in.
     
    Running through a patch of trees, I come to a heavily shaded spot with a wide hammock hanging in the middle of two strong pines. Rubbing both my hands against my face, I take a deep breath. The sound of a twig snapping makes me hastily turn around, and I almost slip to the ground.
     
    “Easy there, Grace. You should have had the decency to at least put the suffering guy out of his misery. Like I’ve told you repeatedly, let him know that the ice-princess’s heart is frozen and held by someone who will never be able to return it,” Dray says, his face not showing sarcasm but actually pity.
     
    His words slash me to the core. He speaks the agonizing truth, which is why they cut me deep and hurt so damn much. “Shut up, Dray.”
     
    He advances closer to me as I take a step back. I know that he won’t hurt me physically, but mentally, I’m close to being destroyed today. My emotions threaten to overwhelm, paralyzing me with the fear of possibly always being alone.
     
    On a deep breath, I plead, “Ple...Please leave me alone. Just go away.” I can’t deal with Dray right now, and I sure as hell don’t want to fight him. It wears me down. I feel another tear roll down my check, and I quickly reach up to wipe it off, but not before he sees it.
     
    “Fuck this crying, Kylie.” Reaching me, he clasps both of my arms with his capable hands. “Fight me like you normally do. You don’t take my shit. Why start today?”
     
    Hanging my head, I answer, “I’m tired. I’m so damn tired.” I haven’t allowed myself to cry about what is happening to my aunt in months. The shop has taken almost every waking minute to get it in the shape it is now, where I can take off to be with her, but she will not let me. I worry about Mads and her constant inept choice of boyfriends. I have a great guy, who wants to be in my life and all I can think of is how different he is from Trent. How he is not Trent. And now, my mortal enemy is seeing me at my lowest.
     
    “Dray, just leave.” I ask, softly. Surprising me, he listens, letting go of my arms