Taking Chances by Ann Omasta (best motivational books txt) 📖

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Besides, it would be so awkward to be around the brother that I didn’t choose. I can’t have a future with either of them, and they are both better off without me.”

“First of all, either of them would be lucky to have you. There is no one better than you.” Courtney was adamant, so I didn’t bother to argue with her. “Secondly, you’re all adults. People sleep together all the time. Sure, it might be awkward at first, but you’ll all move on and probably even forget about it eventually.”

I couldn’t imagine ever forgetting about sleeping with Seth or Sam. “It’s just not in the cards,” I said to Court. “I think we’ll all be better off if I just let them both go.”

“I thought you really cared about them?”

“I do,” I answered simply. Then I added, “No one said it would be easy.” I gave her a sad smile before carrying my bag up to my room. Once in my room, I shut my door and texted Sam and Seth. I sent them both the same message. ‘I can’t see you anymore.’

My phone buzzed with responses almost immediately. Seth’s text read, ‘So, you’ve made your decision? Can we talk?’

Sam’s message said simply, ‘I don’t accept that. I’m on my way over.’

I sighed and slid down to the floor. I had been a coward to try to end things with them by text message. They deserved better, and it appeared that they were both going to demand more. I just hoped that I had the willpower to resist them in person. I silently vowed to stick to my guns.

Chapter 40

I was surprised to see Seth’s Jeep pull in as I sat on the front porch swing. I had been preparing to see Sam first. Seth carried a large bouquet of happy-looking daisies and colorful wildflowers, which he handed to me when he reached the porch.

“Thank you. I’ll go put them in water.” I used the excuse to have a minute to go in the kitchen and gather my thoughts. I found a classic Ball jar to put the arrangement in and set them in the center of our table. Then, I took a few deep, calming breaths before walking out to join Seth on the porch swing.

We sat side-by-side quietly for a few moments. Seth broke the silence by saying, “You’ve chosen Sam.” He didn’t pose it as a question. It was more of a resigned statement.

“No,” I answered him. “I’m not going to be with either of you. It’s too awkward. I’ve messed things up too much.”

“I thought we had something special. I thought we were falling in love.” His words nearly broke my heart because I thought the same thing.

As I had known would happen, Sam’s Porsche pulled into the drive. Seth didn’t seem shocked either. When Sam eased his long, lean body out of the low sports car, I saw that he had brought roses, dozens of them. The brothers nodded solemnly at each other in greeting as Sam held the red flowers out to me.

I muttered something about putting them in water and ran for the kitchen. I busied myself finding the good crystal vase and putting the huge bouquet of long-stemmed red roses in it. When I placed the vase on the table next to the jar of wild flowers, tears welled in my eyes.

The flower arrangements were great representations of the brothers. One was wild, fun, and free. The other was elegant, beautiful and dangerous. How could I choose between the two? I couldn’t. The answer was as simple as that. I strengthened my resolve to go out and tell them that they both needed to move on. It really was the best thing for all of us.

Sam was the first to speak when I returned to the porch. “So, you want to be with him, then?” He spat out the question. He was standing near the porch stairs, and I had stopped awkwardly between him and the swing where Seth sat.

“No, I’m not going to be with either of you. I’ve made too much of a wreck of things, and you both deserve to be with someone who loves you and only you.” They were both just looking at me, so I continued. “It would just be too uncomfortable if I was with one of you. It doesn’t make sense.”

“This is bullshit.” Sam was angry. “We both care about you, Abby, and we are all adults here. Choose one of us, then the other one will go off and lick his wounds for a while. In time, we will all be fine. No awkwardness needed.”

He was simplifying it too much, and I wasn’t explaining it right. I couldn’t seem to formulate words that would make them understand. I knew what I meant and that was all that mattered. As I looked at these two identical-on-the-outside, near-perfect men, and tried to explain why I couldn’t be with either of them, I was exhausted.

“Just go. Both of you please go.” I could tell that they were each considering putting up a fight, but I shook my head sadly, and they both respected my request and left.

I went in the kitchen, looked at both sets of so gorgeous, but so different flowers, and sat down at the table and sobbed.

Chapter 41

The shadows of dusk were starting to creep across the kitchen, so I went up to shower. Then I flopped on my bed and cried myself to sleep. I tossed and turned all night and awoke certain that I could have been happy with either one of the dark-haired, green-eyed, sexy-as-hell Davis twins, if the other didn’t exist.

They both did exist, though, and they were both amazing. I cared about each of them too much to choose the other one. I had royally screwed up any chance with either of them, so I needed to pick up the pieces of my life and move on without them. We would all be better off without the sick love triangle that I had inadvertently created.

I showered again in the morning and walked to work on autopilot. A blaring horn snapped me out of my daze when I started to cross the street in front of a car to get to Eck, Meck & Dreck. Annie was standing just inside the door of the shop and ran out to get me.

“Be careful, Sweetheart!” She waved to the car in apology as she put her arm around me and swooped me into the safety of the shop. “No boy is worth losing your life over.”

“I’m sorry.” I wasn’t sure why I was apologizing. She seemed concerned about me, though, and I didn’t want her to worry.

“No need to apologize. I just love you, and I don’t like seeing you so upset, especially over a boy.” Then she added, “Or two boys. Tish tosh.” She waved it off, as if it were an everyday occurrence for a person to fall for two men.

As if reading my mind, she went on, “You know, I was once in love with two boys.” Her revelation surprised me. I had thought I had heard all of Annie’s stories.

She seemed lost in thought as she continued. “One was my high school sweetheart. Adam was kind, and sweet, and wholesome, and good-looking. He was a star athlete at our little high school.” She smiled as she described him, obviously remembering him fondly. “Everyone thought we would end up together.”

I nodded, wondering about the other boy. She sighed deeply before continuing. “The other boy, J.D., was a rebel. He was dark and dangerous, and handsome-as-sin. I couldn’t seem to resist the magnetic pull I felt towards him, even though I could sense that he didn’t care enough about me. At one of Adam’s football games, J.D. lifted my skirt, removed my panties and stuffed them into the pocket of his jeans. Then he took my virginity standing behind the locker room.”

She paused before continuing, lost in thought. “It was glorious, and I couldn’t get enough of J.D. after that. We spent the next few weeks screwing any place where we could find a modicum of privacy. It broke Adam’s heart, but I was so enamored with J.D. that I couldn’t help myself. I was desperate for J.D. to love me, and I kept telling myself that he did.”

“I let myself believe that he felt about me the way I felt for him, until one day after school, when I ran out to jump in his car for a ride home. I had an hour before my Mom would be home from the salon, and I planned to enjoy every minute of it naked in my bed with J.D.”

“To my horror, I found him in the driver’s seat of his cherry-red muscle car leaning his head back on the head rest with the blonde, curly ponytail of the head cheerleader bobbing in his lap. He had the audacity to smile at me as she blew him. I slammed the car door shut, and she didn’t even stop sucking his cock long enough to turn and see who had seen them. She was under his spell as much as I had been.”

I shook my head, uncertain about what to