Aaron.
I meet Tony’s gaze. “I wish he was, but he's not. I am the reason for his divorce. He hired me four years ago.”
Aaron’s gaze falls, and I hate the look of heartbreak on his face.
“Jake…”
I take a step closer to Tony.
“And Aaron hired me a week ago to accompany him to your party, and it was supposed to be one job and then—”
Tony’s gaze holds mine as Garrett laughs.
“I fucking knew it. No way Aaron could actually find someone stupid enough to buy his bullshit.”
I fire a glare at Garrett. “Like you.”
His eyes widen. “You’re such an honest man, Garrett, yet you leave out the part where you’ve been dicking around with Aaron for the last twenty years? Is that right?”
“You little shit, how the fuck—” Garrett growls and lunges for me, but Aaron steps in front of me to absorb the blow.
Tony pushes them apart. “Rob, if you don’t get him out of here right now, I’m calling security.”
Rob growls at Tony as he grabs his son.
“And you can forget the position. And the merger.Evermoreis done withTempest.”
“Tony, come on, don’t be rash. Sit down and think about this—”
“Get him out of here!” Tony growls.
Aaron’s eyes fill with tears, and I can see the pain in his eyes.
Pain I caused.
Because Garrett’s right. I’m not worth it. I let myself think that this could be something more, but it’s not.
It never was.
I can’t even keep my heart safe, it seems. I ruin everything. I ruined Garrett’s marriage and now I ruined Aaron’s shot at his dream. I don’t deserve shit.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I turn around, and run for the beach. He doesn’t come after me, though there is a part of me that wishes he would.
The part that still believes in fairytales and perfect book boyfriends, and love.
I let myself love him. I am so fucking stupid.
I run down the beach until I’m out of breath, and then I find a parking lot and stop and call up an Uber to head back to the house. I punch in the code and walk through the empty house until I get to the bedroom, my heart in my throat. The house feels ominous. It’s haunting with its memories of sweetness and perfection. Of hot summer nights and laughter and love. So much fucking love.
I’m such a fool.
I hurriedly pack my things and text Noah. I keep waiting for Aaron to come barging in and stop me, but he doesn't’ and I think that itself is telling. Because if he chased me…
It would mean this was real. That the love between us wasn't imagined and that there were more important things than this job.
But that kind of thing only happens in the movies. In reality, people never chase you. They let you go because they are fucking cowards, or they let you go because they never loved you, anyway. My Uber arrives in ten minutes flat, and just as I amgetting in, I see his BMW pull up. I get in the car, and it takes off, and only then do I let the tears flow.
No lights follow me, and I know they won’t.
