Broken Series by Dawn Pendleton Read Free Book Online Page B

about our relationship and all the crap guys did not like to discuss, Carrie said we should break up. It wasn’t unprecedented, but rejection was rejection. Of course, she felt like I was the one who rejected her, having almost kissed my ex. If it wasn’t so depressing, the whole thing would be beyond comical.
    After I dropped Carrie off at her apartment, I made my way back to the bar, determined to talk to Mallory. I needed to know why she had to retaliate that way. I actually liked Carrie, and even though we probably wouldn’t have been together forever, it wasn’t easy to end the relationship.
    I parked near Baker’s truck and waited for her to come out. Once she was tucked into my truck, my heart stuttered when she said she was fine. She wasn’t lying, of course, but I didn’t want to think about hot she was. I didn’t want to think about her at all. She wasn’t mine anymore. I needed to get over her. Easier said than done.
    “You are that,” I said and closed the door.
    I knew I slammed it but my brain was on fire. How was I supposed to stay the hell away from her like she asked when she was so damn gorgeous? I yanked open the driver’s side door and hopped in. I turned the key and whipped the truck out of the parking lot.
    “Easy, killer, not all of us are used to crazy back road drivers,” she purred.
    She’d moved more toward the center of the truck and I gulped. I kept both hands on the wheel and did my best to ignore her. Despite my intentions to shout at her, she was too far gone for it to even be worth the trouble. I would have to let her know how angry I was tomorrow.
    “Buckle up,” I instructed.
    To my dismay, she belted herself into the center, the strap tight across her hips.
    “Why does Daddy have to die, Luke?” she asked.
    Crap. Adrunk and emotional Mallory was not a good mix. And definitely not someone I wanted to deal with.
    “Did you have fun with your friends tonight?” I ignored her question and hoped to distract her.
    “Yeah, it was fun,” she said. “I’m sorry about Carrie, Luke. Did she dump you?”
    “Yeah, it was fun,” I said, mimicking her words.
    She laughed, the sound sharp and vibrant in the silent cab.
    “I really am sorry,” she whispered and looked down at her hands.
    I accepted her apology. It might be the only one I ever got. “I know, Mal. It’s fine. She wasn’t the one for me.”
    “So who is the one for you, Luke?”
    You are , I thought .
    “I have no idea. Someday, I’ll figure it out,” I said, definitely not wanting to have this conversation.
    “Did I used to be the one?”
    She stared up at me and had to force myself to look back at the road and away from her pretty face and big blue eyes.
    “I thought so, but things just weren’t meant to be.” I hoped she wouldn’t remember much of the conversation in the morning.
    “I guess not,” she said glumly.
    She rested her head on my shoulder and it felt like we were back at the prom.
     
    It didn’t matter that we’d broken up at her senior prom, on a boat, no less—we had to endure each other’s company for the remainder of the night. She asked me to pretend things were okay and we could tell everyone tomorrow. I agreed, but only because I didn’t have much choice. Unless I was prepared to jump off the balcony and swim to shore, I was staying at the prom until it was over.
    We did a fair job pretending for the night; not a single person suspected a thing. I was proud of our efforts, but I still had to drive her home.
    “I’m exhausted,” she yawned when we were back in my truck. “Do you mind?” She gestured to my shoulder and I shook my head. This would be the last time I was this close to her. She laid her head on my shoulder and sighed.
    “Why does it have to be so hard, Luke?” she whispered.
    I didn’t have an answer. We were too different to make it work. I wanted to stay in Casper and grow old here; she wanted a fancy Boston life. We were doomed before we ever even