My lips twitched despite my sour mood. “Thanks.”
After she left, Mason said lightly, “Mother’s right. You look like shit.”
“Fuck off.” I shoved my hands into my pants pockets. The melody of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 came faintly through the door. I was stuck in a scene fromDie Hard.Though I’d almost rather be held hostage by terrorists than be interrogated about my life choices by my mother and brother.
“Rough day at work?” he asked.
“I quit yesterday, after they fired Bridget. That’s what Mother and I were arguing about.”
“Fuck.” His shoulders slumped. “Is she okay?”
“I don’t know. She’s not answering my calls or texts.” That was the worst part of it—imagining her hurting and unable to do anything about it.
“You look worse than you did when Zara left you.”
“Yeah.” I sighed. “I feel worse. Like, not only heartbroken and shit, but so fucking guilty. She needed that job, and she worked hard to get there. We had a plan to share the role, but the board wouldn’t listen. Bridget thinks I knew they’d already decided and that they were never going to give her a chance. That I was in on it. She hates me.”
“Did you try to explain?”
“I left her a half-dozen voicemails and an embarrassing number of texts. She hasn’t read a single one.”
“Think she blocked you?”
Fuck!I hadn’t thought of that. “Probably. And I get it.” Bridget was strong, and she didn’t need me. She’d never even told me she loved me.
“So what are you going to do?”
“What can I do? If she’s blocked me, she doesn’t want to hear from me, at least not now. Maybe I should leave her alone.”
“Or…” He raised his eyebrows. “You could apologize in person.”
I winced. That sounded desperate and humiliating.
“I know how you are. You never want to try anything unless you’re sure of the outcome. You want to control every variable. But that’s not how relationships work. You cede control and let her choose. Then the reward is so much greater.”
“What if she’s already chosen?”
“Have you explained your side? Have you begged her to reconsider?”
“Before they walked her out of the building, I told her I loved her. She said nothing.”
Mason rolled his eyes. “She’d just been fired. It might not have been the best time to mention your gentle feelings for her.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why are you pushing this? Is there something in it for you?”
“I want you to be happy. You seemed happy with her.”
There was no question. “I was.”
“Then go after her.”
“It’s Christmas Eve. She has a huge family, and they do holiday shit all weekend. She’s probably at a family party.”
“Is there a better time thanright nowto tell someone you love them?”
“Wait. You’re telling me to go toher family’s house?On Christmas Eve? They’re Catholic. Tonight is a big deal for them. She’d be so pissed. And I’d look like a stalker.”
“You’d look like a man in love.” He shrugged. “And if she tells you to go away, you go away. But you owe her that choice.”
