Savior Complex: A Small Town Love Triangle Romance

“It might not be so bad,” he says after a few beats. He glances at me, giving me a knowing look.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he says, then looks away quickly. So quickly, I know he’s hiding something.

“Come on, out with it.”

He sighs deeply, his hands running over the steering wheel. “Have you thought about asking your cousin?”

What the hell?

“No way. Are you kidding? I wouldn’t let that bitch move in with me if she was on the corner, begging for change. Besides, she doesn’t need a place to move into. She lives with Aunt Lil and Uncle Dan.”

“Exactly,” he says, glancing at me. “But hear me out. You and Jordy have a bond, I know it. She told me about you a long time ago, before your grandmother died. Not by name, but she’s actually said nice things about you. Remember the magic syrup on pancakes, or the movie marathons?”

Or the lists that described the perfect man, and now he’s driving me home? But I don’t say that. I also can’t help but soften just hearing that she told him about us. Maybe it still means something to her now.

“She actually told you about that?”

He nods. “I didn’t realize the connection until just a few minutes ago though. She told me how the two of you were like sisters, even though you both drifted apart. She loved you, and I think she still loves you. I’m willing to bet you love her too. Am I right?”

“If love means I want her to rot in hell, then yeah, I love her to fucking bits.”

He chuckles, then gives me a sideways glance. “Come on. You don’t miss her? Not even a little?”

“If she drove my grandmother’s car over a cliff right now, I’d mourn the car, but consider it a worthy sacrifice.”

“Really?”

I sigh, realizing I’m being over-the-top cold right now. But when I glance at him, the amusement on his face hits a nerve.

“Why is that so hard to believe? I hate Jordy. Whatever connection we had, it’s gone.”

“Because you are way too affected by your cousin to actually hate her. If you didn’t care, she wouldn’t have hurt you so bad. If you really hated her, you’d have moved on by now.”

I roll my eyes, but my breath feels shallow at the way he’s targeting all my fault lines.

“Jordy hurt you,” he continues.

“Yeah.”

“But what if she apologized? What if she started over, away from your family, and asked you properly if she could move in with you. Would you consider it?”

I slump in my seat, mulling it over. He stays silent, and I know he’s waiting for my answer. But I already know the answer, and I hate that I’m this big of a pushover.

“It would have to be a really good apology,” I mutter. When he laughs, I glare at him. “I don’t get you. The other night, the texts. What gives, Brayden? Are you playing Jordy? Are you playing me? Is this just one giant game?”

The smile evaporates on his face, and he shakes his head. “It’s complicated,” he finally says.

“It’s not, though. You told me you have a girlfriend, which I guess is noble of you because you didn’t pretend you were available. But she wasn’t just your girlfriend, she’s your fiancé. So why would you ask for my phone number? Or to go horseback riding? Or try to do anything that keeps us connected? And why, after all that, are you insisting I move your fiancé into my house? Do you enjoy stringing people along?”

He takes the exit, and we slow to a stop at the red light. Jordy’s car made it through already, and we sit alone in the crimson glow.

“I’m not enjoying any of this,” he says seriously. “Not one bit.”

“So you don’t love my cousin.”

He sighs. “I didn’t say that.”