Read My Mind (The One #3) - Natasha Preston Page 0,1
I study. That, and they can’t let go either.
I’m not scared of hard work. I’m scared of disappointing my parents.
I get out of bed and slip my clothes on, feeling Liam’s eyes on me.
“You want to do something next weekend? We could attempt one of those escape rooms or go to the cinema? Ooh, or to that new bar in town—the one to replace that shady place where they didn’t check IDs,” I suggest.
Anything. Let’s just do anything. Although, I know the answer before he opens his mouth, and I know that means we’re doomed.
Liam shrugs a shoulder, half listening and half watching the grid line up on F1. “Yeah, maybe.”
Maybe means yes when my mum says it. Unfortunately, it means no when Liam says it.
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say.
“Drive careful.”
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” He turns back to the TV, and I know he won’t bother getting dressed until he’s ordered his pizza.
Sometimes I want to shake him. Liam has crazy potential but, for whatever reason, he’s wasting it. If I wasn’t part of his routine, I wonder if he’d want me back at all.
I leave his apartment with a heavy feeling in my stomach, and I get into my cute yellow Beetle—the proper bubble shape. The first remake—and I drive to Wren’s.
She had better be home.
We don’t have plans but I had to get out. I can’t spend another Sunday wishing he would take me out and then tear my clothes off. Things were hot, once upon a time. We were teenagers who couldn’t make it through a movie without getting naked.
I’m still searching for that. Wren and Indie keep telling me that it’s gone. I’m holding onto the hope that it’s not. Maybe we can get over this hump and get back to how it used to be.
Maybe I’m a fucking fool.
I pull up outside Wren’s place and park in the drive. They have a lovely house now with three bedrooms and a big garden. Wren has currently brought home three old dogs from her job at the local rehoming centre. She can’t bear it when the elderly dogs don’t get adopted.
They’ll end up with about ten, despite Brody initially insisting on a maximum of two.
Brody answers the door after I knock. His dark hair is messy, and I don’t want to know what they’ve just been doing. My hair is still pristine.
“Brody, my brother from another mother.”
“Wren, your weird mate’s here!” he shouts over his shoulder.
I backhand his stomach. “You married my friend in Vegas without inviting me, prick.”
He laughs and steps aside. “Good to see you. Did we know you were coming?”
“You should always expect me. Wren, where are you?”
“Kitchen! Wine?”
“Hell yeah. Brody, my car started making a noise on the way over here.”
“Doesn’t your boyfriend work in a garage?”
“Yep.”
“Chuck me your keys.” I hear the eye roll in his voice.
I throw my keys over my head and walk into the kitchen. I hear him catch them.
“Wine,” I say affectionately.
Wren smiles as she hands me a glass. Her perfect, glossy blonde hair is tied up, and she smiles. “What brings you here on home date night?”
“If you’re going to be a dick—”
“I’ll behave.”
“Liam is watching F1.” If there’s no race, he watches old ones.
“And you didn’t fancy it?”
I shake my head and take a swig of my wine. “Not really. We’d just had sex, and I could see the rest of the night playing out. TV, pizza, and nothing. It’s always the same. Always.”
She presses her lips together.
“Yeah, yeah, we both know what you’re going to say. Me and Liam aren’t right together. I love him, though, Wren. That counts for something.”
“It counts for a lot. Way more than it should sometimes. I just don’t think you have any idea how much you’re going to love the right guy.”
“What if Liam is the right guy and we’re just going through a blip? My parents broke up for a year before they got married.”
“You’re not your parents, and you sound like you’re just trying to convince yourself.”
“Well, thank you for that.”
“My point is that you’re not going to do things the same way as your parents, Mila. They don’t expect you to. Just be happy doing whatever you’re doing with whoever you’re doing it with.”
“I’m not unhappy.”
“No? You left his place because you couldn’t handle another evening of the same thing.”
“I’m having a bad day. Lots of them. All in a row.”