So I walk over to the side of the bed he’s facing, and I take a seat on the edge to find him with his eyes closed.
Gently, I place my hand on his side and say, “Hey, you.”
His eyes part open, and he pauses for a moment, not making a move, not reacting to seeing me. He just stares, which scares me more than anything because I’ve seen how he reacts when I enter a room. I know the way he looks at me when we’re in bed together, and the man staring back at me is just a shell.
After a few moments of silence, I can’t take it anymore, so I say, “Are you doing okay?”
His eyes are tired. Bloodshot.
His face looks gaunt.
And he almost seems very feeble at this moment.
Finally he says, “No.” It comes out strangled. His eyes well up with tears, and my heart shatters into a million pieces.
“Halsey—”
I don’t have time to finish because he reaches out and pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arm around my waist, securing me into his fetal position.
At this moment, I can feel it all the way down to my bones. I’m his lifeline right now. He’s holding on to me, silently begging and pleading to help him stay afloat, and I will do everything within me to do that.
I twist to my back, and he snuggles into me, his head to my chest. I put my arm around him and kiss the top of his head as I feel his tears cascade down to my shirt as his body quietly wracks against mine.
It breaks me.
He breaks me.
I find myself fighting off my own tears as I hold him close.
Oh, you poor, poor man. I hate that you’re hurting. I love you. I will always love you. And I’m here for you. Always.
Halsey is sleeping,and I was able to slip out of his arms for a brief second to go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and grab my phone from my bag, where a text waits for me from Huxley from a few minutes ago.
Huxley:I’ve been informed by my pilot that you haven’t contacted them yet.
I glance up at Halsey, still curled into a ball, and I know exactly what I need to do.
Blakely:Sorry. This is more serious than I expected it to be. I know this is probably not what you want to hear, and I understand the repercussions, but I won’t be able to make it in tomorrow. Or the next day. Not sure how long it might take me to get back. I understand if you need to look elsewhere for someone more reliable, but this is too important for me not to be here.
I heave a heavy sigh.
But, I know I’ve made the right decision.
Jobs will come and go, but a man like Halsey? He’s once in a lifetime, and if that means I need to go back to ground zero, give up the dream job, and be here for him, then I will do it.
I’ll do anything for this man.
It’s a far cry from the thoughts going through my head when Perry asked me to move with him. I didn’t even give Australia a thought. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to give up what I had.
But with Halsey, I’d give up the world to be by his side. And that’s what he needs. He needs me by his side. And I know, with absolute certainty, that he’d do the same for me.
That’s what love is.
My phone buzzes with a text, and I know I’ll see the words HR in his text.I’m about to lose this job.
But . . . worth it.
Huxley:Take all the time you need. When it comes to reliability, your choice to be with your man just proved to me how reliable you really are. We’ll talk when you’re ready to start back up. Wishing you luck.
