“Listen, she would never get back with that prick. She hates him, Morgan. She left the country so as not to be around him. You need to trust her.” His tone was harsh; he gave a heavy sigh and I could hear him muttering under his breath.
“I know, I know. Tell me how to make this right, Jon.”
“Fuck me you two are awful… Right, are you still planning on asking her that thing you were telling me about? With the bracelet, and all that lovey dovey stuff?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, let me find her first. Once I do, I’ll text you. Get down here as you planned, and you can do it tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Well, I’ve got to find her first, but yes tonight. You two need to prove to yourselves that you’re both all in. We all know you love each other, we’ve seen it for months.”
“You really think she loves me?” I asked.
“I know she does. Let me get out and find her and I’ll text you, okay? Stay by your phone.”
“I will. Thanks, Jon.” I handed the phone back to my mother and filled her in on the plan.
CHAPTER 31
ANDIE
I was devastated. I’d finally agreed to give it a go, be fully with him and he ended it. I must be cursed—as soon as I find love the guy leaves. Maybe there was something wrong with me.
I took a walk around the library; the shelving was beautiful and I ran my fingers along the smooth wood. My heart about stopped when I looked to the wall above the fireplace. Morgan had hung a picture of us, not naked this time, but happy together at the club. We were sat in the booth, with his arm around my shoulder and my hand on his leg, both smiling at the camera.
My throat tightened and I felt the walls closing in, I had to get out of there. I wrapped up warm, grabbed a to-go coffee mug, and headed outside. A walk in the fresh air was just what I needed. I followed a path along the mountain road across from our house and took a seat on a quiet bench, watching people with their kids and walking dogs.
I thought about my life and how it may have looked if I could have had children. Or what if I hadn’t gone to L.A. and never got married. Would I still have met Morgan? Were we destined to meet? Or would we have simply gone about our lives with other people? Maybe that’s how it should have happened, thenwe both wouldn’t be hurting. Would my relationship with Kate change now? Would he still help with the kitchen extension, and I would have to see him, but not be able to touch him again? Both hearts broken and not healing.
“Are you okay, love?” I looked up at a kind woman who had been walking along with her friend.
I hadn’t realised I’d been crying until she had spoken to me. “Yes, thank you. Just thinking about things.” I wiped at my face.
“Would you like us to sit with you for a while?” They both smiled warmly at me.
“No, thank you. That’s very kind. I’m waiting for my brother. He’s going to meet me here shortly,” I lied.
I wanted to be left alone but had a feeling if they thought that, then they wouldn’t leave me. And I wasn’t up for company.
“Okay love. If he doesn’t come soon then come down the mountain, okay? There’s a lovely coffee van at the bottom.” She patted me on the arm.
“I will. Thank you.”
My phone buzzed with a text from Kate.
K: Where are you? We’re all looking for you?
A: I came for a walk up the mountain by the house. Sorry, lost track of time.
K: Stay there.
I did as she asked. I didn’t want to move anyway. I didn’t want to go home and be reminded of Morgan in every room of the house. I just wanted to forget for a while. Be someone else. Someone who was worthy of love. More tears flowed, and I wiped them away, but they wouldn’t stop.
“Fuck me, Andie. You’ve been gone three hours. You must be freezing.” Jonathan stood in front of me. He took off his coat and wrapped it around me.
Once he had wrapped me up, I realised just how cold I was. “Thanks.” I pulled the coat closer around me. “I lost track of time. I needed to clear my head.”
