Deserved.
“I didn't read it,” I choke out. “I swear to you, Rorie. I never opened it. I didn’t even remember it was in my bag. That’s not who you are to me. You’re not... some profile. You’re not bullet points. You’re?—”
I break off, raking a shaking hand through my hair. “You're the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
She flinches like the words physically hit her.
“And I ruined it,” I whisper. “I hurt you. And now…” I trail off because the ending feels too final. I can feel her pulling away even as she stands there, just feet from me.
Her arms cross in front of her protectively.
“I don’t care about a fucking pitch.” I step closer. “I don't care about this fucking job. About anything except you.Youare what matters.”
Silence.
The breeze tugs at her hair, sending it whipping across her tear-streaked face.
“I didn’t just fall for you,” I say hoarsely. “I crashed. Full speed. No brakes. No plan. And I would do it again. Every time. Even if it ends like this.”
I step closer. Hands at my sides. Begging without words.Pleadingfor something I don’t deserve.
She stares at me for a long, long moment.
I hold my breath until her voice breaks.
“I don’t trust you,” she whispers.
The ache in my chest splinters, painful and merciless. But I nod. She’s not wrong. Trust has to be rebuilt. Earned.
“I understand,” I tell her, voice shaking. “But I’ll rebuild that. For as long as it takes. I’m not walking away. Not from you.”
Another gust of wind whips between us but I barely feel it. All I can feel is her.
Standing there.
Not running to me.
Not forgiving.
Just standing.
And breaking.
She looks at me like I’m the end of something she didn’t stopped believing in.
And it kills me.
Because it’s true.
“You know,” she says, her voice cracking like it’s trying to survive her own heart, “I started thinking the universe kept crashing us together because we were meant to find each other.”
My chest caves in.
“But now…” She shakes her head—small, devastating. “Now I think the universe kept giving us chances to realize we weren’t ready. That some people meet at the wrong time… and keep breaking each other trying to pretend otherwise.”
The words hit harder than any punch I’ve ever taken.
Harder than Thatcher’s threats.
