More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Read between
September 4 - September 7, 2025
“She’s going to push you away.” Closing the book, I rest it on my lap as I give her a sad smile. “I know.” “You do?” she says, her brows high in shock. “Yes, she has runner written all over her.” “Well, she may be a runner, but she isn’t a long distance one. Give her time and she’ll come back.”
“Now, who do we think the murderer is?” “The husband. It’s always the one closest to you…no matter how nice they seem.”
Let’s see if you’re the only one who can make me landscape again.
“You’re my girlfriend—” He tsks me as I open my mouth to correct him. “Fake or not, Bella, to the world you’re my girl and until that day ends, I will treat you as such.” He takes another step forward, forcing me to lean back into the boxes. “And if you were really mine, Bella, I would spoil you rotten because it’s what you deserve. So we can either stand here and argue until you’re red in the face, or you can thank me.” He winks. “I suggest going with the second option.” Stunned. The bastard has stunned me speechless. He moves so close to my face his hot breath tumbles over my lips. “What’s
...more
Facing Grayson, I point at him as I walk toward him until my fingers jab the hard ridges of his chest. “You, Mr. Crawford, just made two Stratford women very happy.” The smile he gives me is downright devilish. “Let’s hope I can continue to do so.”
“Fine! I don’t know what to do because…” A lump gets stuck in my throat. Grimacing, I snatch my water bottle out of the cup holder and gulp. “Because…?” Layla probes. Accelerating as the light turns green, I blurt, “I like him! Okay? And it’s going to mess with my head when he continues to do these nice things for me, and I have to continue to remind myself that it’s all fake. Not to mention that he’s my boss! He is literally the person paying to keep my mom alive, and let’s address the elephant in the room. I. Do. Not. Trust. Men.”
“What he did was horrible, Bella. There are no two ways about it. It’s the most disgusting thing you can do to a person when they are at their most vulnerable, but…not everyone is your dad,” she says softly.
“That’s the thing, Layla. I know they’re not all like him, but he is a prime example of not knowing if you can ever fully trust someone, even after twenty years.” That silences my best friend. Because she knows I’m right. My father was the partner my mom’s friends would be jealous of. The father my friends would say they wish they had. In the eyes of me, my mother, and the world, he was a loving and caring person—until he wasn’t. It was like a switch had flicked in him, unveiling who he truly is. A coward.
I was as shocked as you were, but I would be a horrible friend to watch you let something like this pass you by.” I put the car in park and turn to her. “And what would I be passing by?” Without missing a beat, Layla says, “The potential to feel a once-in-a-lifetime love.”
“I just want one day, B. One day where I’m not the chronically sick girl. I’m having a good day physically, so I want to pretend like this is how I am every day.”
“Don’t be surprised if you feel my anxiety though. That woman makes me nervous like a criminal on the run. I’ve never had my heart beat as fast as it does when I’m next to her.” Laughing, I flop onto my back, throwing my arm over my head. “I’m royally fucked, Bambi.” Turning my head to the side, I whisper, “She’s like a wildfire. A burning blaze that I have no plans of extinguishing. I don’t care if I get burnt, so long as I can be near her.”
“Let’s go find my girl, Bambi.”
“No, don’t go being cute with Bambi. What the fuck, Grayson?” He flashes me a crooked smirk. “You think I’m cute?”
You should see how that man stares at you,” she says wistfully. “How does he stare at me?” “Like you’re his reason for breathing.”
“I’d love to, but it would be cruel. She has separation anxiety and I’m away a lot.” “I can look after her.” My head snaps up. “You’d have to sleep at my place at away games. Shuffling her back and forth would be harsh and only add to her anxiety.” Bella bites her lip before shrugging. “Okay.” My brain short-circuits. Bella just said yes…to sleeping at my house.
“I’ll also make a social media post about Bambi. Someone will want her. How could they not?” Bella places her hand on top of mine. “I’d hold off.” “Why?” She looks from me to Bambi, who is currently staring at me. “Because she loves you. Give her some time with you.”
A smile blooms across my face. “Nearly one hundred dogs found a home today.” “Because of you.” My gaze cuts to Bella and suddenly I hear myself blurting, “Come home with us.” Her head rears back, making me go on to explain myself. “Help Bambi get settled for the night. She seems enamored with you.” She isn’t the only one, I want to add.
“Don’t lie to me. Did you or did you not pay for her medical bills?” Her eyes are completely unreadable. I steel myself for a fight, for her to be mad and angry for overstepping, but as I confess, “Yes,” Bella surprises me. She throws herself at me. Her chest collides with mine, making the breath in my lungs leave me in a rush. She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her head in my chest. “Thank you.”
“But why?” she murmurs. “Why would you do this?” Because I think I’m falling in love with you would probably make her run, so instead I whisper, “Because your mom means everything to you, so in turn, me.”
“Tell me to stop,” I breathe. “Because I can’t do it by my own willpower.” Bella swallows thickly before tilting her head up more, a thousand thoughts floating behind those honey-brown eyes. “Just for practice, right?” Something crumbles in my chest but I don’t let her see it, not when I’ll take the scraps she gives me. I’ll take anything over nothing. “If that’s what you have to tell yourself,” I murmur, our lips a hair’s breadth away. “Is that not what you tell yourself?” “No.”
If Bella has to lie to herself and say this is practice, I don’t care so long as we can practice all day, every day. I can never have anyone else. She’s ruined me for life.
“Looks like Bella didn’t just steal one heart.” Sighing, I make my way over to Bambi, hoping my presence alone can get the sad, confused look out of her eyes. “I know, girl, me too. Me too…”
Your brownies might be delicious but they’re not softening the blow of you avoiding me Come on Blaze, don’t make me beg, show me that beautiful face of yours
I thought you might need this today. The tears I was holding at bay fall, sliding down my cheeks at the sincere gesture and thoughtfulness. I flip the note over, and the tears change from rolling to downright flowing as I find another scribble of his handwriting. You’re not alone, Blaze.
I never want to come home to an empty house again. I don’t want to come home to anyone but them. Because this feeling is everything. A small voice tells me I don’t deserve it, that after what I did to Drew I shouldn’t be lucky enough, and yet here she is. My blazing girl who came into my life like a wildfire.
Before I can change my mind or tell myself I’m a creep, I pull out my phone and take a picture of a moment I want to cherish for as long as I live. Staring at them, the two girls that have made my heart beat with something other than misery, I decide it’s now my turn to hold up my end of the bargain.
“I’ll do whatever you want if it means you’ll stay.”
“I’m going to start talking and I need you to let me finish.” “Why wouldn’t I?” She licks her lips. “Because I’m going to say some harsh truths and I want to make sure you truly hear them.” The way she’s speaking has my back straightening. I sit sideways, facing her head-on, steeling myself for the worst. What if this is the last time I see Bella? “It’s okay, you can say it.” Bella takes a deep breath before seemingly staring into my soul. “You didn’t kill your brother.” My body moves as if I were physically struck, flinching away from her. Those were the last words I ever expected to come
...more
“Grayson, those two seconds are not on you. I cannot begin to fathom how much this hurts. I wish I could rewind the time for you, but the person who carries the full blame of that night is behind bars, and his name is not Grayson Crawford.”
“Fuck, Blaze, I can only handle so much.” “I know, but the same could be said for your mom.”
My eyes search hers for a beat. “Why are you doing this?” “Because contrary to what you have been telling yourself, Grayson, you do deserve to live. It’s time to stop running.”
the love of a mother never dims, no matter the age of their child and my love for you is endless
“Can you come inside with me?” My gaze cuts to him quickly before moving back to the road. The navigation says we’re only seven minutes away. “I think it’s more of a—” “Please don’t say private matter.” He clears his throat. “I’d feel a lot more comfortable if you were there by my side.” The vulnerability and sincerity in his words cuts me deep. “Of course,” I say without hesitation this time. “Whatever you need.” “I just need you,” he whispers before going back to staring out the window.
“Actually, Bella and I have a mutually beneficial agreement and despite my attempts to make her actually fall for me, Bella is sadly just my assistant.”
“You two will make a gorgeous couple when you both stop being stubborn.”
I’m flying tonight, feeling for once like my brother is right there beside me.
“Drew worked as my personal chef.” My gaze doesn’t leave her soft features as she turns her head toward me. “After he passed the mere thought of eating anyone else’s cooking made me physically ill.” “But you ate mine.” “Yours…is different.” She cocks her head. “How so?” My lips twitch. “You revived my hunger.” For not only food, but life.
“He abandoned you two when you needed him the most,” I state simply. Bella seems to grow heavier, her body sagging on the bench. “Over twenty years of marriage, a grown daughter… He wrote a note, packed his bags while we were at the grocery store, and never looked back.”
I burst out laughing. “And what does wined and dined look like to you?” He jumps in the driver’s seat, pulling away from the curb with a devilish smirk. “Spending time with you.” “That’s a bit lackluster.” “Not from where I’m sitting.” The heat that fills my veins is like an inferno. I have to look out the window so he doesn’t see the blush creeping across my cheeks. This man and his words. They’re going to be my undoing.
“You’re going to give me vertigo,” I drawl as I flop onto the only bed in the room. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t internally cheering over the bed situation. Her head snaps my way, a glare gracing that gorgeous face. “Then stop watching me.” “We’ve already been through this, Blaze. I can never look away.”
“As your assistant, I’d have a duty to have you institutionalized.” Opening the door, I pause to look at her, loving the way her cheeks are slightly flushed and her eyes are filled with warmth. “We both know you’re more than just my assistant.” I close the door on a wide-eyed Bella, smiling at the sound of her voice as she curses. I’m going to make this woman fall for me, even if it’s the last thing I do.
Despite the tension crackling in the room, he smiles, and it’s full of sincerity. “Well I’ll be damned, it’s about time I met the girl who got this big idiot in line.”
Watching him walk away, I can’t put my finger on what’s different about him. I’m not sure what it is, but all I know is that…I don’t hate it in the slightest. In fact, I love it.
“What do you need, Grayson? What will make it better?” “You can’t give me it.” “Try me.” He turns to me then, and the fire in his expression has my mouth drying. “You, Bella,” he says. “I need you.”
“Keep pretending that what we have isn’t real, pretend that this is for practice. I don’t fucking care what you tell yourself to feel less fear but pretend,” he all but begs. He keeps stepping into my space until I’m backed against the desk. Placing his arms on either side of me, the raw hunger in his eyes is tantalizing. “I need you like I need air, Bella, and if you stop, I’ll cease breathing. So please, just keep pretending.” His eyes flick back and forth, searching mine, for what I’m not sure, but in the next breath, he’s placing his heart in my hands. “Pretend that you want me as badly as
...more
“This was never fake for me, Bella. I know you want me but if you need to tell yourself—” I’m moving before a part of me can stop this. I lift my chin, fist his shirt, and drag his mouth to mine.
is Bella with you? GRAYSON of course MOM good, I like her she’s a keeper GRAYSON I know I hope I get the pleasure of marrying her one day
Your mom’s not going to make it through another day.
“No!” I scream more forcefully. Pushing my way through, my hand lands on the door handle and with one swift push, it’s opening, revealing my mom, lying motionless, her chest still as a nurse calls time of death and places a white blanket over her body. Time of death: 8:53 a.m. Deceased three minutes ago. Three minutes. 180 seconds. If I had run faster… Someone begins to scream, and it takes an ungodly amount of time for me to realize the scream is coming from me. This is what heartbreak is. Not my father abandoning me. Not the fear of Grayson leaving me. Not losing my job. Not Layla moving
...more
How am I supposed to go on? How am I supposed to go on with my life without the person who has been there beside me from day one? How am I supposed to say goodbye to someone I’ve known my entire life? I’ll never see her smile again. Never hear her laugh. Never taste her cooking. Never crack jokes back and forth. Never hear another daily confession. I’ll never be able to pick up the phone and hear her sweet calming voice on the other line.
