Sawyer isn’t smiling, mouth tight, eyes hard. My heart squeezes in my chest. Now I’m scared I missed my chance.
He steps inside, and I’m vaguely aware of him holding an old box, frayed at the edges. I lead him to the living room, neither of us speaking. There’s a heavy tension in the air.
“Sawyer.” I turn to face him.
But his face startles me. It’s ice cold.
My pleas and explanations die in my throat. “Do—do you want something to drink?”
His face grows hard, and I instantly know that was the wrong thing to say.
“I’m done.”
I blanch at his words. My heart lurches, and I don’t know what to say, how I can fix this.
“I’m done trying to get you to open up to me. I’m done trying to earn your trust.”
My breath stutters out as I squeeze my eyes shut, trying like hell to prevent the tears from falling, and wishing like crazy this is just a bad dream. Then I feel his warm hand cup my face. I open my eyes, and all the ice thaws.
He caresses my cheek, holding my gaze. “I’m in love with you, Brie. I love you so much.”
His confession steals my breath. I lean into his touch, tell myself there’s nothing to be scared of now. But when I open my mouth, everything I have to say bottlenecks at my throat. Where do I begin? And how?
His hand drops, and the ice is back. “Yeah. I’m done.”
With that, he shoves the shoebox he was holding at me, and walks out of the room. His footsteps thud as he heads to the front door.
Move, you idiot, he’s getting away!
I toss the shoebox, so light it could be empty, onto the coffee table and rush after him, heart in my throat.
He throws open the front door, and we both freeze.
Tess stands there. Her blond locks are out of place, cheeks splotchy from crying. She has raccoon eyes, and her clothes are dirty and ripped in some places.
“Two Emerson Ave,” she says.
CHAPTER 46
BRIE
When I haveTess sitting on the living room sofa, exactly where Sawyer ripped my heart in two just minutes ago, I grab the tissues from a side table and put them in front of her. My hand shakes, and I don’t know if it’s from seeing my friend like this or from the adrenaline of hearing Sawyer’s words.
Yeah. I’m done.
He’s in love with me.
But he doesn’t want me.
I turn around, and Sawyer’s gone. Cold panic floods my body.
Then I hear the refrigerator door open.He didn’t leave.
Yet.
I try to focus on Tess, but all I want to do is follow Sawyer. What would I say to him? My mind races, unable to process everything that happened and is happening. All I know is I don’t want him to leave, not like this.
I spent the entire last week processing the conversation I had with my sisters, everything I had to hide growing up. Mara’s come over almost every night so sheand Gia could help me through it. My relationship with my sisters is better because of it, but there’s still so much I need to work on. A week isn’t enough to undo lifelong habits.
