Take a Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters, #2)

by Talia Hibbert

thinking she could fake certain qualities to make someone else happy.

I was so dull and inattentive

Apparently, being with me left him lonely.”

I’d been trying so hard—and I’d been so blissfully oblivious, certain I was getting it right—and the whole time, I was failing.”

“You didn’t fail, Danika,” he snapped. “You loved someone, and you tried to make them happy.

“After that, I refused to change myself for a relationship ever again.

seemed like a waste of everyone’s time and energy to keep trying. So I stopped.”

relationships shouldn’t feel like a drain? That, when it was worth it, and it was right, you’d want to compromise?”

How the hell was she going to give the man she cared about so deeply the kind of relationship he wanted?

“You’re not bad at relationships. You’re lovely. You’re smart, and sweet, and generous, and you make me smile, and you listen when I need you—when anyone needs you.

I’m trying, here, but don’t get your hopes up. I’m not going to turn into someone else.”

“I don’t want you to be someone else,”

“I love you as you are. Exactly as you are.”

“I think you heard me, sweetheart.”

“How could you love me?” Because

“You’ve spent the last month making me happy,

you really don’t see why I might love you? Sweetheart, loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

“I’m not the easiest option at all.”

Would Zaf still think he loved her when she fucked up, when she started to buckle under the pressure of his expectations?

He was a thousand shattered pieces, and for the first time in a long time, he honestly couldn’t see a way to glue himself back together.

Why the fuck had he told her—when he knew how scared she was,

she’d asked for baby steps, and he’d fucking sprinted.

Kiran was the type who found family everywhere,

he’d always survive.

Dani was the only one who could change her mind about us,

Trying didn’t work. The words haunted his mind again,

Kept talking, because sometimes that was the only way to untangle his own knots.

I don’t know if we can do this, and she’s positive we can’t, so . . . maybe that’s that.”

Zaf knew panic. He knew the squeeze of fear, knew the way it left you shaken and unsure of who you were,

Your mother and I, Jamal and Fatima, we’re all a family.”

A family. A broken one, true, but broken didn’t mean ruined.

There were blessings everywhere and a thousand shades of joy all around him. Every shade should be savored.

You’re not supposed to use random happenings as an excuse to avoid dealing with what you really want.

You’re supposed to pay attention to what resonates. You’re supposed to take a fucking hint!”

“Safer than feeling things,” she said. “Because feelings hurt.

I didn’t want to fail or fuck it up. I didn’t want to hurt him, and I didn’t want to admit he could hurt me.”

trying her best for Zafir and failing would’ve been far less painful than . . . Than giving up. He’d told her he loved her, and she’d just given up.

he might be better off without her.

if she made loving Zaf—properly, the way he deserved—one of those goals, she could do it.

“I’m going to do my best, anyway.”

As she spoke, her shoulders lifted and her stormy emotions calmed, all the fears she’d never admitted to finally flowing free.

Perhaps discussing emotional nonsense did have some uses after all.

wasn’t that her latest goal? Taking care of herself as if she deserved it?

she’d held off because deep down, she hadn’t thought she deserved it.

Danika Brown is not worthy of love.

when it came to Dani’s worthiness, the only source she should really value was herself.

she had a feeling that Zaf—Zaf, who always listened; Zaf, who always cared; Zaf, who wanted everyone to know themselves—was partially responsible for that.

You’re far too delicate to be expected to weather the drama of sudden romantic confessions.”

You were hurt and I didn’t give you space to feel that. I didn’t respect that it was real.