“I might have had something to do with it. Did it work?”
“Work?”
“I saw you figuring out some stuff.”
I give a little nod. “Yeah, it—” I cut myself off as a sob works its way up my chest. Taking a careful breath, I fix a smile on my face. “I’m sorry guys, I have to run. It was nice to meet you, Daniel. Thanks for the class.”
Then before either of them can say a word, I tear out of the room, past reception and out onto the street. I pound through The Village toward home, trying to keep it together, and I’m just turning down my street when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I know it will be Geoff checking in on me, and once I’m home I’ll flick him a quick text to reassure him. I mean, really, I’m fine.
But when I glance across the street, I freeze, feeling my heart leap into my throat. Myles is sitting on the bottom step of my building.
And I’m not fine. I’m not fine at all.
36
Myles gazes at the pavement, head bowed in thought. I notice the way the wind ruffles his curls, how his crimson T-shirt hugs his shoulders, the rips across the knees of his jeans.
God, I am so in love with him it hurts. And now I’m just standing across the street staring at him, gripping my phone with trembling hands, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Just breathe, I tell myself.Just breathe.
I should tell him how I feel. I know I hurt him, but maybe there’s still hope. Maybe that’s why he’s here.
A car sails past and he glances up, along the street, his gaze landing on me. My heart hurls itself against my ribs as he pushes to his feet.
Just breathe.
Somehow, I manage to put one foot in front of the other, until I’m standing on the pavement in front of the building with him. I run my eyes over his handsome face. How could I have been so, so blind? I’ve never been so in love with someone in my life.
“Hey,” he says softly, and I nearly fall to my knees. “Did you get my text?”
I shake my head.
“I got the site done, finally. Sorry it took so long. I was doing everything I could, but I had all these issues with the hosting, and today was the soonest—”
“You did it?” I whisper. “You actually did it?”
Oh my God.
I droop with disbelief. Not with him—with myself. Now that I’m in front of him, looking him in the eye, how could I possibly have thought he’d let me down? Iknowhim. I know better.
Realization breaks across his features. “You didn’t think I was going to do it?”
I lift a shoulder, glancing away in shame.
“Shit. I’m sorry, I should have been in touch, I just…” He goes quiet, and when I look back at him he’s gazing at me sadly. “It was too hard. But I promised you I would do it, Cat. I know you’ve been let down in the past, but that’s not who I am. I’d never do that to you.”
“I know,” I whisper, wringing my hands. “I know that now. And I also know…” I trail off helplessly. How do I explain this to him? How do I tell him that I’ve found that knowing in me, and it’s changed everything? What could possibly make up for the things I said to him, for how I treated him? Standing here in front of my building, in the exact spot where I told him I didn’t want him, I feel lost for words.
No. I have to try.
“I’m sorry about everything,” I say, my voice strangled. “About the fight, the things I said.”
He gazes at me, unblinking, his jaw hard. After a while he lets out a weighted sigh, and nods. “Yeah, me too. I don’t think I handled that very well.”
There’s a beat of silence, and I try again. “How’ve you been?”
He shrugs. “Not too bad, I guess. I got a paid web design job, so that’s good.”
