Despite my show at nonchalance, my heart seized as I envisioned how it was going to play out. We’d have to pretend that nothing was wrong during the event. In theory, that wouldn’t be too hard since we’d be busy. But I’d gotten way too used to seeking her out when I needed a pick-me-up. All it took was a quick kiss to bolster me for whatever bullshit I had to face.
I studied Emilia, trying to determine how she was feeling. For someone who usually wore her heart on her sleeve, all I could sense was stone-faced determination. Like leaving didn’t even matter to her. Like she was the one who’d never been invested at all.
Fine then. It was better this way. A swift severing, then cauterization.
I wasn’t sure how I’d react if she broke down, because I hated seeing her in pain. And the fact that she didn’t seem to be hurtingwas all I needed to convince me that she agreed our split was for the best. I hadn’t expected the end of our relationship to be quite this… abrupt, and it was a little jarring to have it all fall to pieces so fast, but even if it had me feeling a little unsettled here in the moment, I was sure I’d move on quickly. I always did. Romance didn’t last, and that was something I’d always known. Emilia was right to say that there was no sense in dragging things out. If it was over, then it was over.
Although … why did it have to endtonight?
“Fine,” she said simply. “I’ll wear this thing through the end of the event. Can’t risk pissing off my benefactor, you know.”
“Stop.”
“We’re off the clock, I don’t have to listen to you, Bossman.”
Thereshe was. The sassy, take-no-shit woman who’d been standing up to me since the moment we met.
I felt something dark waking up inside of me as she glared at me with her arms crossed. Frustration, because she was throwing all of this at me at the worst possible time. And hurt, even if I was careful to hide it, because she was about to walk out of my life for no good reason.
Well, if she was so eager to move on, so be it.
“Fine,” I said. “Go.”
Her shoulders drooped a little, like she was hoping for a different outcome.
“Yeah, thanks. Planning on it.” She pointed to Winston’s bin. “Obviously.”
Emilia looked around the enclosure again then picked up the bin and walked away without another word. No tears or parting shots, just a silent retreat that made everything feel unfinished, like I’d missed acue or screwed things up, even though I knew that wasn’t true. This wasn’t on me.Shewas the one who’d chosen to leave.
Despite the size of my home I felt like there was no place where I could avoid her as she finished packing, so I opted to sit on the lounge chair flanking my pool. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done it. With Winston on his way out, I wasn’t sure when I’d spend time in my yard again.
I’d cope with her leaving the way I dealt with any life challenge; I’d work. I’d been spending way too much time at the Carmel resort, but once the wedding was over and done with and the “curse” was broken, it wouldn’t need my oversight anymore, and I could refocus on other regions. Being in a new location would make it easier to forget her. There was plenty to do in Manhattan. And DC. I’d considered opening a resort in Hilton Head, maybe I could put my energy towards making it a reality?
It struck me that I was aiming for work on the east coast, like I had to put the entire country between us in order to move past our time together.
I could tell by the sounds coming from inside my house that she was nearly finished packing. I wasn’t sure about the protocol for our goodbye. She had the keycode so I’d obviously have to change it once she was gone.
But then I almost laughed at the absurdity of the thought. Emilia was one of the most honest people I’d ever met. I knew in my core that I could trust her not to come back and trash my house.
The end of our situationship would come with a whisper, not a bang, as it should. What we’d shared had come to an inevitable conclusion, and it was for the best.
I leaned back against the lounge and closed my eyes. The moment she left I’d pick up my phone and start looking at available real estate inHilton Head. It would be the perfect distraction. I’d fly out within the week, probably, and this house would be locked up and left behind. The open space on the bathroom counter where she’d left her hairbrush and elastics wouldn’t even register if I wasn’t here to see it.
I let out a humorless laugh. As ifanythingcould distract me from her.
Her footsteps inside echoed out to where I was sitting, which made me wonder if she was stomping on purpose. Like she was trying to signal that I had one last chance to rush in and stop her.
Nope. Wasn’t going to happen.
We were exactly where I knew we’d wind up. Romance didn’t last, and once it faded all that was remained was pain.
“I’m leaving.”
I’d been so deep in my thoughts that I hadn’t even heard her walk over. I sat up.
“Fine,” I said with a curt nod. “Do you need help with anything?”
“Nope. Just wanted you to know. I’ll be at the resort early tomorrow.”
