Free Sometimes, Forever (Sometimes Moments #2) by Len Webster Page A

bad about kissing her.”
    “Wait, what? She asked you out after you kissed her. How are you all ‘she doesn’t love me’?”
    “I sent that message before she asked me out,” he clarified.
    “So what did you say?”
    He took a deep breath and stared at his balled fist and white knuckles. “I said no.”
    “You said no?” She almost screamed it. “You love this girl and you said—”
    “Whoa,” Cooper interrupted. “I didn’t say I loved her.”
    Margot made a huffing sound. “You didn’t have to because I can hear it. You do. You love her. Now, let’s talk this out so we can fix it. Okay?”
    Cooper tuned her out and focused on the movie that was on TV. He hadn’t been paying attention to it. The Rock was starring in it, but that was all he had taken in from it. Throughout the entire film, he had thought of Peyton. He’d screwed up. He had said no when he should have said yes. There was no way he could take away the guilt he felt in his chest. It weighed heavy, making it impossible to breathe properly.
    The truth was heartbreak was a piece of shit.
    It lingered even when he said for it to go.
    It stayed long after a heartbeat.
    Stayed longer than the breath of air he had just taken.
    It had stayed.
    A knock on his front door had him turning his head to it. He ignored it only for the person on the other side to knock again. They weren’t loud bangs but light taps.
    “Margot, I have someone at my door. I gotta go,” he interrupted.
    “Did you even hear what I was saying?” she asked as he got up off the couch.
    “No,” he answered honestly.
    Margot sighed. “You’re hopeless. Fine, answer the door. Call me later when you’ll actually listen to me. The sister that is always right. Love you, Coop.”
    “I love you, too, Margie.” He hung up once he’d reached the door. Cooper slid his phone into the back pocket of his jeans and then twisted the door handle.
    He froze when he found Peyton at his doorstep.
    “Peyton,” he breathed. “What are you doing here?”
    Cooper didn’t live in town; he lived a short drive and a far walk from Peyton. He peered past her to find a silver Volkswagen Golf parked by the curb. She had driven, and he was glad she did. Because if she had walked, he’d haul her into his Range Rover and drive her home.
    Glancing down at her, she wore a pair of black skinny jeans and a pale yellow chiffon top. Her light brown hair was tied up in a ponytail. But what caught his attention was the fine line her lips had made.
    “I have something to say to you.”
    “Okay. Did you want to come in?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ll be quick. You, Cooper Hepburn, led me on.”
    His shoulders went slack.
    It was true, he had.
    At that moment, Peyton’s eyes became watery and she clenched her eyes shut and groaned as if she hated that she was getting emotional. After a deep breath, she opened her eyes, and he saw the hurt and anger in them.
    “You kissed me and made me believe you felt something towards me.”
    “I know. I’m sorry, Peyton, I shouldn’t have done that to you,” he said, hoping he sounded believable. “I don’t blame you for hating me.”
    She let out a sigh. “I don’t hate you, Cooper. I’m mad at you. Do you know how much it hurt to hear you say no to me? I mean, I should never assume, but I thought you felt something. I felt something. But I was sure you did after you kissed me.”
    She felt something.
    That only confused Cooper more. “But … you looked horrified. You didn’t say anything and then you let Mads take you away.”
    “You surprised me. No one’s …” She paused. “No one’s kissed me in over a year. It was a lot to process. Mads thought I was going to have an emotional breakdown, and she didn’t want you to see that. I came back to find you, but you had already left the festival.”
    She came to find me.
    Christ, I’m an idiot.
    “But that doesn’t matter anymore,” she said in a small