My heart beats faster, and weird things are happening in my stomach and lower unmentionables.
Worryingly, his impact has not lessened. I’m as enamored with him as I’ve always been. In a few seconds, it feels like all my progress has been undone. How I ever thought I could get over this man is beyond me.
There is no getting over losing someone like Jared.
I don’t think I’ll ever get past it.
“Syd?” Jared comes to a standstill in front of me, hovering behind my easel. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Setting my paintbrush down, I stand, feeling at a disadvantage when he’s looming over me. I jerk my head behind me. “I live back there.”
His eyes almost bug out of his face. “Since when?”
“I moved in a month ago.”
A slow glorious smile spreads over his mouth, and his entire face lights up. Bathed in a halo of early morning sun, he looks like a bona fide Greek god. No guy should be this good-looking. It’s unfair to the rest of the male race.
“I have a flight booked to Florence on Friday,” he admits. “I’m glad I bumped into you. I’d be pissed to travel all that way to see you, only to discover you’re right on my doorstep.”
A frown creases my brow. “Why would you be coming to Florence to see me?” He must mean to put the finishing touches on his new house there.
“I have a lot to catch you up on.” He comes around to my side, and his smile expands as his gaze skims over my painting.
Anxiety churns in my gut, and I chew on the inside of my mouth. I’m always antsy showing anyone my work.
“Wow, Syd. This is fantastic.” He lifts his smiling face to mine, and I almost drown in the depths of his gorgeous sky-blue eyes. “You haven’t lost your touch.”
“Jared, what’s going on right now?” I just put it out there because I’m thoroughly confused. “How are you here? I don’t understand.”
“I live a few houses down there.” He stretches his arm to the right as all the color drains from my face.
“What?” I blurt, instantly fighting tears. This cannot be happening. “I thought you lived in L.A.?”
“I did.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I mean, I do. I still have my house in Bel Air, but I bought a place here recently. Only moved in three days ago. I wanted to escape all the noise in L.A. but still be close enough I can commute easily for work. I bought a helicopter, and I’m planning to take flying lessons so I can eventually pilot it myself.”
Everything he says, after he confirms he’s living here, floats over my head. All my hopes for a fresh start evaporate, and I’m close to losing my shit. I refuse to break down in front of him. I don’t want Jared to see what this revelation has done to me. Abandoning my things, I turn and run toward the private path that leads to my house, needing to get away from him before I fall apart.
Jared calls after me, but I can’t focus on anything but getting away from this new hell.
“Syd, stop!” He takes hold of my elbow, and I almost face-plant the ground.
“Get away from me!” I cry, trying to shuck out of his hold as I lose control of my emotions.
“Not until you tell me what’s going on.” Concern is etched all over his face as he watches the silent tears roll down my cheeks. “I’ve upset you. Tell me what I did?” he asks more quietly, loosening his hold on my elbow but not letting go.
“You’re moving here with your family, Jared. I would’ve thought it’s self-explanatory.” I bark out a laugh. “I moved to get away from you! I literally just bought a house here, and now I’m screwed. Fuck my life!” Tipping my head back, I shout at the sky. “What the fuck did I ever do to deserve this?”
“Sydney.” Jared’s tortured voice wraps around me, and it makes me mad. What does he have to be upset about?
“What?” I snap, eyeballing him as I silently erect walls around my heart and suck all the tears back into my eyes.
“You moved from Florence because of me?” Disbelief threads through his tone.
“Did you seriously think I could live there knowing you were planning to raise your family there? You might have moved on, but I have struggled. I’m still struggling.” I’m too pissed to shield the truth from him. He needs to know so he’ll stop freaking moving to wherever I live.
Something close to relief flares in his eyes. “I haven’t moved on.” He steps in closer, peering deep into my eyes. “I have never gotten over losing you, Syd. My heart still beats only for you.”
I feel sheer joy for about five seconds until I remember. Horror washes over me as I stumble back, fixing him with a sharp look. “Does your fiancée know this?”
