“Ben has been staying at your sister’s.He’s been talking about getting rid of his place once the lease is up.I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if I crashed there until we…” He cleared his throat.“Figure things out.”
My stomach twisted.What was there to figure out, really?I wanted a future he couldn’t promise.
“I don’t want you to feel like you have to leave,” I said, even though everything inside of me screamed for him to fight for me.To say screw it all and tell me he wanted the life I dreamed about.That he changed his mind.He wanted me to see me in a white dress at the altar, and he wanted to say “I do” in front of all our family and friends.
But Wyatt wasn’t the type of man who said things to make someone else happy in the moment.He was honest to a fault.He would never lie to me.And I respected the hell out of that.
“You didn’t ask me to leave,” he said, his smile not touching his eyes.“I offered.”
My stomach didn’t just twist—it wrenched.
“I hate this.”
“I know.It’s killing you.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because it’s killing me, too.”
My breath hitched.
He reached out as if he were going to caress my cheek, then hesitated.His hand lingered like us, stuck in an in-between.Finally, he brushed a finger under my chin and brought his hand back to rest on the table in front of him.“I wanted forever with you, Rosebud.Still do.But I’ve always been honest about not believing in marriage.It doesn’t change how much I love you.Doesn’t make what we had any less real.”
“It changes how I feel and…” My lashes flooded, and I swiped at them angrily.“I didn’t expect it to.I love you, but—”
“You want more.”
“I do.”
“And that’s okay.You’re allowed to want more.”
“I just… I woke up one day and knew I wanted to build a life with someone who wanted all of it.The ring.The vows.The ultimate declaration of love.”
His jaw tightened.“Then I’m not your guy anymore.”
His words stabbed me in the heart like a knife, twisting and turning until I swear it stopped beating.My vision blurred as a new wall of moisture built.“I guess not.”I blinked, causing a leak in the wall, but I ignored it.“But you were my guy.And I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you.”
He took my hand and squeezed it.“If you ever change your mind…” A disgusted laugh stopped his words.“No.That’s not fair.”He inhaled, let go of my hand, and pushed from the table.“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
He kissed the top of my head.“I’ll come by later to get some of my stuff.We have the wedding on Saturday… We fly out Friday night.I’ll have the car service swing by here to get you.”He grabbed his keys and took what little pieces of my heart that were left with him as he walked out the door and out of my life.
And I didn’t stop him.
***
Somehow, I dragged my ass to the bathroom to do my hair and put makeup on.I had to get this nausea under control before Wyatt figured out I was pregnant.From what I read, the first trimester was crucial.There was a reason people waited to let others know.So many things could go wrong.There was no need to flip his world upside down just yet.
A knock sounded at the door, and my heart stuttered.Hope rose inside me, but I quickly squashed it down.If Wyatt had come back, he would have used his key to let himself in.He wouldn’t knock.
I opened the front door and sighed when Sherry and Chardonnay stood on my doorstep, holding coffee cups fromEspresso Yourselfand concerned smiles.
“Morning!”Sherry announced with a little too much cheer.
“Morning,” I said, not even trying to match her enthusiasm.
“I told you not to overdo it.”Char elbowed Sherry in the side.
Sherry gave her the evil eye.“I’m sorry not everyone can nail your icy exterior.”
