Matchmaker (Empire High, #4)

by Ivy Smoak

But I didn’t want that. I would never get married. And I’d never have kids. I’d given up on that dream when I buried the love of my life.

When I was in the hall my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw the name flash across my screen. Mr. Pruitt. My blood ran cold. Why the hell wouldn’t he leave me alone? I clicked out of the text without reading it. I knew exactly what it would say. He sent me the same text every few months for years. Telling me we needed to talk. That it was important.

“And I do see it. The similarities between Penny and Brooklyn. I get it. But Penny isn’t Brooklyn.”

“Because you’re the only one back in high school that seemed to realize that I had a problem. I think I’m the only one that sees that you have one now.”

I understand why you’re angry with me. But I’ve been protecting you for years now. And for years you have returned my kindness by ignoring me. This is a matter of life or death now, Matthew. Call me back immediately.

Because I wasn’t sure how much longer I could breathe when the past felt so damn heavy. The weight of it on my chest felt stifling. At least, that’s what I told myself. Because the fact that I was slowly dying of a broken heart somehow felt worse.

“It feels like you’re disappearing on me. And I don’t know how to live without you.”

“I don’t want to do this without you anymore. I feel guilty all the time. I feel like fucking shit every day, Brooklyn.”

Losing a best friend was hard. But losing the love of your life? There was no healing from that.

“Two lost souls in this crazy city could maybe feel a little less alone with a friend.”

“You’ll regret kissing me in the morning.” “Who said I was going to kiss you?” She laughed. “Matt…” I grabbed the side of her face. “Fine. Yeah, I’m going to kiss you.”

“Mason was a golden boy before you even stepped foot in the school. You were a god immediately because of association. And then you topped it all off by being a star wide receiver. Abs of steel. A perfect smile. You had it easy. Don’t pretend you didn’t.”

Kennedy Alcaraz was a rock star. And she deserved to be told that every day. Brooklyn would always be my first love. But that didn’t mean she had to be my last. It didn’t mean I had to be miserable every day.

Matthew Caldwell wasn’t mine to have. But it had happened anyway.

“He’ll love you differently. The way you need to be loved. Different isn’t less.”