Chapter 10

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Axel


Hangovers usually always hit me hardest for like the first two hours of my day after I wake up, then I'm generally good.

So I'm failing to understand why it's noon already and I still feel like shit.

It's nothing to do with the sensitive, freshly tattooed skin beneath my collar bone, and everything to do with the fact that I spent my morning re-reading every single one of Rosie's letters from first to last. And now? I can't decide if I wanna laugh at myself in the mirror or just go ahead and slap myself in the face.

Because it's so fucking obvious that Rosie is Maya.

I mean, now that I know for sure, of course it's obvious. But there were so many signs that I missed or my subconscious mind just flat out chose to ignore. Her literature quotes, her telling me that The Green Mile is her favourite book, her hatred of all things cold, her love for the summer sun rather than the winter frost. Coffee over alcohol. Books over movies. Smart conversation over a night out dancing and drinking.

There was always a reason Rosie felt so familiar to me. I already fucking knew her inside out.

My head's still reeling as I slouch by Buck's workbench, ready to get to work. I've had three mugs of coffee already, and I need more. I actually don't think I should approach the SUV Buck's asked me to take a look at until I've consumed more caffeine.

"The fuck's wrong with you?" Buck grumbles as he passes me by. I'm standing next to his back office in the main garage - where he keeps his coffee maker - with a cup in my hand and a glazed over expression in my eyes no doubt.

I just can't stop thinking about all things Rosie. All things Maya.

"I'm fine." I reply as he storms back to the Corvette he's been fixing up. I shake my arms out a little and down the last of my coffee. I need to get my head in the game.

"He was wasted last night." Seth's dulcet tones hit my ears and I frown on instinct as I watch his head pop out from beneath the hood of an Outback. When the fuck did he get here?

I'm far too off my game today. I need to focus.

Buck mumbles something to himself as he continues working on his car, but he doesn't properly respond to Seth's statement. Like he gives a shit about what I do at nights and in my own time. He doesn't care how wasted I was last night, so Seth can fuck off trying to embarrass me in front of Buck.

"What happened with you and that chick?" Seth asks me, leaning his weight against the open hood and cocking his head at me.

"Do you care?" I quip, and I begin walking towards the SUV. I'm not in the mood to humour Seth's curiosity. I need to get lost in mechanics and distract myself from Rosie for a few hours. From Maya...

God, it still hasn't quite sank in properly. 

"Kinda. I never took you for a big drinker." Seth comments, and I don't bother looking back at him. "Robyn was a little worried when you fucked off with that chick. Scar Moore, right?"

"Yeah, well maybe Robyn should worry more about you fucking off with other chicks." I speak loudly enough for him to hear me, but I make it sound like I don't want him to hear. Seth's a cheater, he barely even bothers to be discrete about it, and I've never called him out on his shitty behaviour within his relationship because it's none of my business; this is the first time I've ever expressed any type of negative opinion about it. But, fuck him. I had a weird night last night, and maybe it's about time he heard this shit anyway.

"Whatever, dick." He replies on a sigh before ducking his head back beneath the hood. I purse my lips, considering apologising for what I just said to him. But I don't. I probably should. I'm nothing but a fucking hypocrite, really. What gives me the right to put Seth down about his cheating when I'm no better myself?

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