“And you won’t disappear?”
“No.” My voice is steady as I hold her gaze. “I won’t disappear, or spiral and book a flight to another country. I won’t punish you for needing space.”
Her mouth trembles slightly at that. “I don’t want space from you,” she whispers. “I just need space forme.”
“I know.”
She reaches for my hand slowly. “I love you,” she says.
I close my eyes, feeling the sting behind my eyes. I haven’t heard her say those words to me in years and I don’t think I realized just how much I needed to hear them, especially now.
“I love you too,” I reply, my voice trembling.
TWENTY-EIGHT
ZALEA | FLORENCE
“So…yesterday was interesting,”Paolo says, peeking at me from behind the canvas. “Are you okay?”
I finally made it to his studio to model today, but my mind keeps drifting to Gabriel back at the apartment, especially after learning about his panic attacks this morning.
“Yeah. I helped Gabriel wash up and get to bed after you left,” I say, doing my best to hold still.
Paolo’s pencil stops.
“I didn’t ask about him,” he says. “I asked ifyouwere okay.”
I meet his eyes.
“I’ll be okay,” I answer quietly. “I just need time.”
He studies me for a long moment, then nods and returns to sketching. Classical music softly plays through the studio, filling the silence until he breaks it again.
“Why do you stay by his side when he hurts you?”
The question startles me, and he must see it in my expression.
“I don’t mean to intrude,” he adds quickly. “It’s just that you’re beautiful, and you’re a young woman. You could have anyone, yet you stay with the one who causes you pain.”
I swallow, choosing my words carefully.
“I don’t expect perfection from him,” I say slowly. “But whenever I picture my future…it’s always Gabriel. I’d rather be alone than be with anyone else.”
Paolo glances at me again.
“You love him,” he says, and it’s not a question.
I nod. “Very much.”
He clears his throat and focuses back on the canvas.
“Sometimes love can trick you,” he murmurs.
“What do you mean?”
“Just because you love someone doesn’t mean they’re right for you. I don’t think Gabriel knows how to love you the way you deserve.”
Anger burns in my chest because it feels like he’s attacking Gabriel. But underneath that, I know there’s some truth to what he’s saying. Gabriel loves me, I know he does, but loving someone, and loving them well, are not the same thing.
