“I’m live,” I blurt out, pointing to the ring light. “So you probably shouldn’t say anything you don’t want to share with the entire So Savvy Traveler community.”
Beside me, Hunter quits stomping, but I hardly notice because Miles is here. In Napa Valley. At Casa D’Oro.
“I don’t mind being on camera.” He swaggers forward, jeans riding low on his hips. “But I definitely have some feelings about being replaced so easily.”
Is he serious? He’s the one who didn’t want a relationship. The one who couldn’t commit to anything beyond a no-strings fling.
“Really?” My hands tremble, and I clench them at my sides. He has no right to show up here acting like a jealous ex when he’s the one who chose this—for both of us. “I’m surprised to hear that, since I simply took a page out of your book.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Miles
I deserve that.
Hell, I deserve that and more after the way I acted.
It doesn’t change the fact that seeing Lucy with another man—seeing him touch her, watching them laugh together—is like a punch to the gut.
“No one could ever replace you, Lucy. I thought you’d know that by now.”
She arches a brow. “And I thought you’d know that I am not coming back to work for you. It doesn’t matter how much money you offer or how great the endorsement deal sounds. I’m done, Miles. You need to hire a new assistant and move on.” Her gaze slides to the guy beside her, jeans rolled up to his knees. “I have.”
No way. There is no fucking way Lucy is into this guy. He’s not her type at all.
I’ll bet he spends his Friday nights at obscure coffee shops, reading Kafka and performing slam poetry.
Which is completely irrelevant.
This isn’t about whether or not he’s a good fit for Lucy. It’s about whether I am.
And if I don’t convince her to give me another chance, I’ll lose her forever.
“You’re right.” I swallow my jealousy like a bitter pill. “I came here to make you a new offer.”
She opens her mouth—probably to tell me where I can shove my offer—but I press on. It’s the only option I have, because I didn’t come all this way to give up without a fight.
“Please, just hear me out.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “And when I’m done, if you never want to see me again, I’ll walk away and never look back.”
It would be damn near impossible, but I’d do it. For Lucy.
Her mouth snaps shut, but her eyes remain wary.
Seeing that look on her face—and knowing I put it there—guts me.
The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt her.
And yet, I’ve done it repeatedly. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t know I was doing it. Ignorance isn’t an excuse.
Particularly when it stems from cowardice.
“You were right about me.” I shove my hands into my pockets. “Everything you said was true. I was shallow. Self-absorbed. Scared.”
I thought admitting it would feel good, like a weight had been lifted, but maybe fear doesn’t work that way. Maybe it’s not something you can vanquish so easily after quietly living with it for so long. Maybe it takes time and work to root out all the insidious little thoughts and voices and behaviors that have become so ingrained in your life you don’t notice them anymore.
If so, I’ll put in the work every goddamn day. For Lucy.For us.
“I was holding on to the past instead of looking to the future, so afraid of being hurt again that, except for my family, I cut myself off from everyone and everything around me.”
