Free Summer Love (First Love Book 1) by Harley Turner Page A

judged me for my past. But, honestly, it probably would have been better if it were him instead. He would have been able to jump in and stop me before Chris showed up.”
    “I could have jumped in, but I didn’t,” Marissa pointed out. “I should have. Instead, I just stood there and did nothing.
    “I’m glad you didn’t. I would never be able to forgive myself if I would have hurt you. If Brayden would have been with me last night, you never would have seen me that bad, but we would still be having this conversation. Honestly, I don’t know. It might be better that you saw that.” He reached out for her hand. “Better for you. It will make it easier for you to leave me.”
    “I’m not leaving you.” Marissa didn’t know for sure until the words were already out of her mouth, and immediately, she realized they were true.
    “You should,” Chad told her.
    “So you can spiral back down that path?”
    “So I don’t pull you down with me. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to get through all of this. I don’t know what will happen if the opportunity arises. I don’t want to go back to that, but I’m just really not a good person.”
    “I think you are,” Marissa told him. “Sure you have caught a few bad breaks and made some really stupid decisions, but you also chose to change that.”
    “I didn’t choose. I got caught,” he pointed out.
    “And did you go straight back to it when you were released?”
    “No,” Chad told her. “I was afraid of going back to jail. And then when Anthony came along, it was because he needed me.”
    “So use that fear and love for Anthony when you find yourself losing it. If you get caught again, what happens to him? You are almost 18, so we’re not talking juvenile, you would go to jail. What would happen to Anthony then?”
    “What if I want to stay clean to keep you?” he asked,
    “Don’t do that,” Marissa commanded. “Don’t make me your reason. What if something happens and we break up? I don’t want you turning back.”
    “I don’t want us to break up.”
    Marissa smiled. “I don’t either, but what if the distance is too much for us to handle? What if you find someone closer to your age that doesn’t live so far away?”
    “We will figure something out,” he assured her. “And I won’t find someone else. I’m going to go crazy not being able to see you every day. When are you going to the campground?”
    “One week from today,” she whispered. “And I don’t want to go.”
    “They are only doing what they think is best for you. I can understand Lynn not wanting you to get too close to me. But I’m glad you are.” He leaned in and kissed her.
    When they separated, Chad got out of the car. He walked around to the passenger side and opened her door.
    “Go for a walk with me,” he said, holding out his hand.
    She took his hand, carefully avoiding the possibly broken finger, and stood up.
    “Because that worked so well last night,” she reminded him.
    “This will be better. I promise.”
    Chad pulled a bag out from the trunk of the car and slung it over his shoulder as they followed a path into the woods. Chad eventually led her off the path, deeper into the woods. He took her to an opening in the trees with a single picnic table in the middle. Putting down the bag on the table, Chad began unpacking the picnic lunch he had brought.
    “You knew I would forgive you, didn’t you?”
    Chad shook his head. “I had no idea what was going on in your head. On one hand, I know it would be better for you if you didn’t, but for selfish reasons, I’m glad you did,” he told her. “I can buy you anything you ever wanted, but somehow I have a feeling it’s the little things that are going to impress you.”
    Marissa smiled. He was right. She couldn’t stand people throwing money away for stupid reasons. Her mother’s solution to any problem was always to throw money at it. Never in a million years would she trade this sweet picnic in