I’m causing her pain. I need this to be done. “I haven’t changed. It’s me, Matilda. I can’t change. A relationship won’t work in my life.”
Her gaze skims my face as tears stream down her cheeks. “Are you leaving tonight?”
I look over at the open door of my bedroom. “I’ll go now. I’ll come back in a day or two to pick up my things.”
She bites her lower lip to still it. “I’d appreciate if you would text me to tell me when. I don’t want to be here when you come back.”
I almost double over from the look of excruciating pain on her face. “I will.”
She turns and rounds the sofa in silence before she crosses the apartment, goes into her bedroom and closes the door.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Tilly
“You look sad, Tilly.”Cooper touches my hands with his. “Mom looks like that when one of her pet friends from work goes to heaven. Did that happen today?”
I look into his soft blue eyes. They’re the eyes of an innocent child who could never understand the debilitating pain of being dumped by the person you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with.
It’s been more than a week since Sebastian told me he was moving out.
I haven’t heard a word from him.
I decided that if I don’t by the end of this week, I’ll pack up his things and have them sent to him at work.
I closed his bedroom door the night he left and I haven’t opened it since.
“Something like that, Coop.” I pat the sofa next to me. “Do you want to sit down so I can read you a book?”
He bounces in place. “I’ll get the one Detective Wolf gave me.”
It’s not the first time he’s brought up Sebastian since I got here to babysit him.
As soon as I arrived, he wanted to know where his best friend was.
Carolyn expertly answered for me by telling him that Detective Wolf was working on a case and would be busy chasing bad guys for a very long time.
When Cooper went to his room to get a new toy to show me, Carolyn tugged me into a hug. I needed it more than I realized.
My phone chimes as Cooper takes off in the direction of his room for the second time tonight.
Kate: Meet me for a drink when you’re done.
I stare at the screen for a few seconds before I type out a reply.
Tilly: I’m dead tired tonight.
Kate: You’re not using that on me again. You’ve been sleeping fourteen hours a day.
I have been. I’ve spent much of the past week in my bed. I’ve only left my apartment to go to work and to come here.
I thought spending time with Cooper while Carolyn is on a date with Darrell would help, but so far it’s only reminding me of the man I love.
I respond with a few taps on my phone’s screen.
Tilly: One drink. That’s it.
Kate: I’ll head over to the bar across the street from Carolyn’s place now. I’ll be waiting for you when you’re done.
