Page 105 of Truck Me

Gasps fill the air, followed by a devilish laugh from Brad. “Sure, that’s going to happen. You’re not her type.”

I scoff. “Shows you how little you really know Charlotte.”

He looks me up and down like he’s disgusted with what he sees. “I know her better than you.”

“Aunt Char?” Rayne’s voice cuts through the tension. She sounds confused and maybe even a little hurt. All her prizes are now on the floor around her feet. “Why did Garret say that?”

“What?” Charlotte wipes her face dry of the tears streaming down her cheeks. Then she looks at her niece, her expression filled with pain.

“Are you dating Garret?” The confusion and hurt in her voice are gone and are replaced with anger.

“I … Um … It’s complicated.” Guilt is written all over her face.

Rayne barges toward her aunt and shoves her back. “How could you do this? He’s my daddy.”

Charlotte sucks in a breath, and her eyes snap to mine. “What did you say?”

“I said you can’t!” Rayne cries out. Her face is red and streaked with tears. “I can’t believe you did this.”

Then she spins around and runs for the door. Ash takes off after her, but she’s fast and disappears before he even makes it halfway across the gymnasium.

I close my eyes, struggling to breathe. Everything is crashing down around me. The air feels thick and heavy, making it hard to breathe. I feel like I’m being crushed.

How does she know?

“Garret?” Charlotte’s voice is timid as she says my name. I open my eyes and meet her tear-filled gaze. “Is that true?”

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.

“But it’s possible?” she asks.

I swallow. It feels like jagged rocks are caught in my throat. “Yes.”

With that one word, my entire world falls apart. Charlotte takes a step back, shaking her head. She might even be saying no over and over again, but I can’t hear her from the ringing in my ears.

“Charlotte.” I reach for her, but she pulls back. The pain in her eyes completely shatters me. “Don’t. Let me explain.”

“I can’t.” She pushes past me.

All I can do is stare at her as she walks away. Each step she takes feels like a gash to my heart.

The scars I carry are nothing compared to what this gaping wound will leave behind.

Chapter 23

Rock-bottom is a bottomless pit, and I just keep falling.

Charlotte

All rational thoughts go out the window, and I run. I don’t know where I’m going, or even why I’m heading in this direction. All I know is I have to get as far away from that mess as I can get.

My feet hurt because, of course, I’m wearing my favorite Jimmy Choos. My chest is heaving as I gasp for air. And every inch of my body is screaming at me to stop.

I’m not a runner, not even on a good day.

I hear voices calling out for me to stop, but I can’t. I fight through the pain and discomfort and difficulty breathing, and I keep running and running and running.

When I finally collapse, I’m surrounded by darkness. I’m far enough past the edge of town that the soft glow from streetlights is too far away to light my path.