Read Online Promises (New Beginnings Book 2) by Michelle Lynn - Free Book Online
Authors: Michelle Lynn
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be wrong?" he responded.
She raised an eyebrow at him and he gave in.
"It's nothing, really. Just, uh, Michaela went to her parents' for a few days and I'm a little antsy."
"And you didn't go with her, because …?"
"Her dad still isn't totally cool with me." He tapped his fingers against his leg nervously. "Her mom is working on him, though. I hope it doesn't take too long, though. I sort of ... um ... bought a ring."
Maggie's mouth dropped open as the last words came out in a rush. She closed it and then opened it again to say something, but no words came out. Once again, Elijah saved her.
"About damn time, dude." They gave each other a man-hug and Elijah looked at Maggie expectantly.
"Are you sure you want to get married?" Her voice came out small, weak.
"I've never been more sure of anything," Jason replied.
"Well, then congratulations." She stepped away. "You two head on over to the house. I have to stop and get some more painting supplies." She turned on her heel and practically sprinted to her bedroom.
Why did she suddenly feel sick? She wished she could just be happy for her cousin. She wanted to celebrate with him. She wanted to think he and Michaela would make it work and last forever. She wanted to be a believer. But she wasn't. She didn't believe in love. She didn't think marriage worked. Everyone left. People always found something better. When they realized how imperfect their partner was, they couldn't deal.
Maggie didn't know if Michaela knew everything Jason had been through. She didn't know if she could love the damaged parts of him as well. She liked Michaela, but Jason was her family.
Jake couldn't handle it. Maggie had loved every messed-up part of him, but he couldn't do the same. When Maggie couldn't give him the one thing he wanted, when she suddenly wasn't perfect, he went looking for something better. He would never know the damage he’d done.
###
"She'll come around," Elijah said as they unloaded supplies from his car.
"It doesn't matter, man." Jason tried to brush by him, but Elijah put a hand on his chest to stop him.
"Yes, it does."
"It's my life, not hers." Jason looked at Elijah and sighed. "Maggie’s great when things are bad. If you're hurt or pissed off, she's who you want in your corner. It's when you've got it all together that she falls apart."
They carried their loads through the side gate and in the back door before dropping them to the ground and going for more. Elijah thought about what Jason said in silence. He wasn't wrong. Maggie didn't know how to do happy because she’d never really gotten the chance.
"Jason," Elijah finally said. "You should know how hard it is to believe in the good when you've only ever experienced the bad."
"Yeah, but that's different for me now." He grunted as he dropped his armful inside once again. "I want Maggie to see that. I want it to be different for her too."
"So do I," Elijah admitted. All he ever wanted was to see that girl happy, and he knew Jason felt the same way. Maggie was the strongest, most resilient person he’d ever known. But those traits had created a hardness in her that he couldn't break through.
She’d been through more than anyone should have to experience. Elijah had had a front-row seat for most of it. He’d seen her change over the years from the sweet girl who only ever wanted someone to love her into a woman who didn't let herself believe in anything.
He had hope though. Sometimes he saw glimpses of the girl who had so many possibilities. Last night, when she asked him if he still loved her, that was her. He’d been trying to get more of her to come back ever since they moved to New York. Leaving Boston helped.
Elijah didn't know everything that happened with Jake. He knew the basics, but Maggie didn't talk about it. She wasn’t one to gush about her feelings. He couldn't shake the image of her showing up at his house the night it all went down.
He hadn't seen her in almost a year, and it
She raised an eyebrow at him and he gave in.
"It's nothing, really. Just, uh, Michaela went to her parents' for a few days and I'm a little antsy."
"And you didn't go with her, because …?"
"Her dad still isn't totally cool with me." He tapped his fingers against his leg nervously. "Her mom is working on him, though. I hope it doesn't take too long, though. I sort of ... um ... bought a ring."
Maggie's mouth dropped open as the last words came out in a rush. She closed it and then opened it again to say something, but no words came out. Once again, Elijah saved her.
"About damn time, dude." They gave each other a man-hug and Elijah looked at Maggie expectantly.
"Are you sure you want to get married?" Her voice came out small, weak.
"I've never been more sure of anything," Jason replied.
"Well, then congratulations." She stepped away. "You two head on over to the house. I have to stop and get some more painting supplies." She turned on her heel and practically sprinted to her bedroom.
Why did she suddenly feel sick? She wished she could just be happy for her cousin. She wanted to celebrate with him. She wanted to think he and Michaela would make it work and last forever. She wanted to be a believer. But she wasn't. She didn't believe in love. She didn't think marriage worked. Everyone left. People always found something better. When they realized how imperfect their partner was, they couldn't deal.
Maggie didn't know if Michaela knew everything Jason had been through. She didn't know if she could love the damaged parts of him as well. She liked Michaela, but Jason was her family.
Jake couldn't handle it. Maggie had loved every messed-up part of him, but he couldn't do the same. When Maggie couldn't give him the one thing he wanted, when she suddenly wasn't perfect, he went looking for something better. He would never know the damage he’d done.
###
"She'll come around," Elijah said as they unloaded supplies from his car.
"It doesn't matter, man." Jason tried to brush by him, but Elijah put a hand on his chest to stop him.
"Yes, it does."
"It's my life, not hers." Jason looked at Elijah and sighed. "Maggie’s great when things are bad. If you're hurt or pissed off, she's who you want in your corner. It's when you've got it all together that she falls apart."
They carried their loads through the side gate and in the back door before dropping them to the ground and going for more. Elijah thought about what Jason said in silence. He wasn't wrong. Maggie didn't know how to do happy because she’d never really gotten the chance.
"Jason," Elijah finally said. "You should know how hard it is to believe in the good when you've only ever experienced the bad."
"Yeah, but that's different for me now." He grunted as he dropped his armful inside once again. "I want Maggie to see that. I want it to be different for her too."
"So do I," Elijah admitted. All he ever wanted was to see that girl happy, and he knew Jason felt the same way. Maggie was the strongest, most resilient person he’d ever known. But those traits had created a hardness in her that he couldn't break through.
She’d been through more than anyone should have to experience. Elijah had had a front-row seat for most of it. He’d seen her change over the years from the sweet girl who only ever wanted someone to love her into a woman who didn't let herself believe in anything.
He had hope though. Sometimes he saw glimpses of the girl who had so many possibilities. Last night, when she asked him if he still loved her, that was her. He’d been trying to get more of her to come back ever since they moved to New York. Leaving Boston helped.
Elijah didn't know everything that happened with Jake. He knew the basics, but Maggie didn't talk about it. She wasn’t one to gush about her feelings. He couldn't shake the image of her showing up at his house the night it all went down.
He hadn't seen her in almost a year, and it
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