The Lies You Told
Page 22
He licked his lips, and his chest heaved as he ran his fingers through his hair. “It was.”
“What?”
“I had a crush on you too. Since the first time I saw you. I’d never met anyone like you before. Still haven’t. Never will.” He shook his head and rubbed at his lips. “Okay, I shouldn’t have said that. I just didn’t want you to think…”
Madigan shook her head and tilted it back, staring at the tiny stars above. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I couldn’t,” he said in a blunt tone. “You were Drew’s little sister. You still are.”
“That’s why?”
“You were off-limits. He made me promise.”
“What?”
“When you came to our high school, he found out somehow about my crush on you. I didn’t tell anyone, so I think he just knew me that well. He made me promise never to try anything with you. That you were off-limits, and that if I did ever act on my feelings, our friendship would be over.”
Madigan frowned. “I—I don’t know what to say. We were just teens…”
“Maybe he just didn’t want to lose time with his friend, or maybe he worried we wouldn’t all be friends anymore if we got together, or if we broke up. Maybe he didn’t think I was good enough for you. I don’t really know what he thought any further than that, because I never asked, but I’ve always remembered it. I just tried to move on, and I guess I did, but the day of his funeral, I wasn’t thinking. I felt terrible, like I betrayed him, and that’s why I reacted like that.”
I should be thrilled he’s admitted his feelings to me, but all I have is this nervous jitter through my whole body, and it won’t stop.
She rubbed at her cold arms.
“I’m sorry, I should let you go in,” he muttered. “I really should go.”
Madigan nodded. “Yeah, okay. I’m sorry, Jack. This whole thing is nothing like I thought it was, and I really don’t know what to say.”
“Me either, except I’m sorry.”
“Take care, Jack.” She opened the door for Buster to hop into the trailer.
“You, too, Mads. I’m sorry if you ever thought I didn’t care about you.”
She shook her head. “No. I’ve always known you’re there for me. I just—I think it’s like out of some sad obligation to Drew, and I don’t want that. I don’t need pity or whatever that is.”
“That’s not it. Not at all.”
Maybe it’s not…
“Then what?”
“I’ve always cared about you. Does it make me feel good when I help you? Of course. Do I think Drew would be happy about it? I know he would. But I do it because I care about you. I’d be doing it whether Drew was here or not. We were friends at some point. You remember?”
She smiled and nodded.
“You’re not some charity case. I’ve never seen you like that.”
“I appreciate it,” Madigan whispered.
“Are we good?”
I want to say yes, but it’s a lie. We’re not good because I still feel this attraction to him, maybe more than ever, and he’s engaged. I still can’t support his engagement.
And with the way he’s looking at me, we shouldn’t even be alone together.
“Mads?”
“Jack.” She pressed her lips together, still holding the door open and using it to hold herself up as she stared into his eyes. “Go home, Jack.”
He nodded, and the serious look behind his stare told her he understood that whatever was going on between them at that moment needed to stop.
“G’night,” he muttered and walked back down the path toward his car with his head hung low.
As he disappeared into the darkness, she stepped up into her trailer and closed the door, leaning against it.
Was it just me? Did he feel that between us?
Doesn’t matter.
He’s not mine.
She locked the door behind her and shuffled to her bed, removing her clothes as she got closer and throwing them in the laundry bin before pulling on an oversized concert t-shirt she had bought herself.
Buster jumped up into her bed, and she sat on the end of it, taking off her socks as a shadow passed in front of the kitchen window, just steps away. She frowned and peeked out from the curtains of her bedroom window.
Jack stood in front of the door, and her heart pounded as he moved his arm, reaching out toward it.
Jack?
His fist stopped just short of the door, and he turned, walking away again, disappearing into the night.
He felt it.
Maybe it’s not too late.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my formatter and dear friend, Jade Eby, and my cover designer, Alora Kate, for the exceptional visual components of this novel. To Krista at Mountains Wanted Publishing, I am grateful for your skills, attention to detail, and professional service.
I have an immense amount of appreciation for my beta-readers: Jade Eby, Kiersten Modglin, and Shyla O’Brien. Your opinions and insights are invaluable. Thank you for challenging and supporting me during this process. I appreciate the care you’ve come to have for these characters of mine.
Thank you to my early readers for joining my team and your interest in Madigan and Grace’s story. To my colleagues in the book community for “getting me”. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and sharing your knowledge with me. I’m proud to call you my friends.
For the continued support of my family, friends, and husband. I am forever grateful and I love you all. Each and every person in my life who has supported me and my writing career hold a special place in my heart.
Thank you to my true-blue readers, newsletter subscribers, and my reader group on Facebook for sticking with me, for your curiosity, and for your company on this journey. From the bottom of my heart, I’m honored to share this experience with you.
Also by Emerald
Don't miss these suspenseful and unpredictable reads:
The Darkness Follows Duology
Darkness Follows
Shadows Remain
• • •
The Avery Hart Trilogy
Lies Come True (Book One)
Bare Your Bones (Book Two)
Every Last Mark (Book Three)
The Complete Avery Hart Trilogy
• • •
Standalones
Wrong Angle
Closer
All the Dark Corners
• • •
The Anna Kelleher Chronicles
Midnight Motel (Book One)
• • •
The Knox and Sheppard Mysteries
The Girls Across the Bay (Book One)
The Secrets They Keep (Book Two)
The Lies You Told (Book Three)
Book Four in the series releasing in 2019
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Click here to view the complete list of books and purchase links.
About the Author
Emerald O'Brien was born and raised just east of Toronto, Ontario. She graduated from her Television Broadcasting and Communications Media program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario. As the author of unpredictable stories packed with suspense, Emerald enjoys connecting with her readers who are passionate about joining characters as they solve mysteries and take exciting adventures between the pages of great books.
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When she is not reading or writing, Emerald can be found with family and friends. Watching movies with her husband and their two beagles is one of her favourite ways to spend an evening at home.
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To find out more, visit Emerald on her website:
http://emeraldobrien.com
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If you enjoyed Emerald’s work, please share your experience by leaving a review where you purchased the story.
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