Or forcing a conversation she isn’t ready to have.
I stop at the window, my reflection faint against the glass.
How the hell did a proposal meant to prove how serious I am about us end up being the thing that scared her off?
I thought showing her I was all in would make her believe it.
That it would make her stay.
Turns out grand gestures don’t fix fear. They just shine a spotlight on it.
The phone vibrates in my hand, jolting me from my thoughts.
Rina: I’m at my mom’s. I just need some time.
Relief hits first, followed by the familiar ache that’s been carving its way through me since she walked away. At least she hasn’t completely shut me out. At least there’s still a line of communication open between us, even if it’s frayed and worn thin.
I stare at her message, caught between what I want to say and what I should say.
“Put the phone down and slowly back away.”
Kia’s voice slices through my thoughts. She’s curled up on the couch with a blanket draped over her legs, blonde hair pulled into a messy knot that’s starting to fall loose.
I glance at her. “You don’t even know who texted me.”
She arches one perfectly judgmental brow, the family resemblance between us uncanny. “That was Rina. And you’re two seconds away from doing something that will make the situation worse.”
I scowl. “Wrong.”
“Uh-huh.” Her lips twitch. “Because pacing like a feral Roomba totally screams emotional stability.”
The corner of my mouth kicks up despite myself. “Thanks for the insight, Dr. Phil.”
“I’m just trying to save you from yourself,” she says, the words muffled by a yawn. Then her voice dips, the teasing edge fading. “I can see how much you care about her.”
“I love her,” I admit. The confession feels heavy, final, like saying it out loud cements it deeper inside me. “More than I thought I could.”
Kia’s smirk gentles. “I know. It’s written all over your face. I’ve never seen you like this before. I like it. And I like Rina for you.”
I rub a palm over my jaw. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t matter if I’m not what she needs.”
“You are,” she says without hesitation, sounding steadier in a way I haven’t been in days. “Maybe you just figured it out faster than she did. Give her some space to catch up.”
A dry laugh escapes me. “Patience isn’t exactly my strong suit.”
“No kidding.” Her smile returns. “If impatience were an Olympic sport, you’d medal.”
“And if unsolicited advice were one,” I shoot back, “you’d sweep the podium.”
Her grin widens. “Probably. But I’m right, and you know it.” She adjusts the blanket higher on her lap. “If you push now, you’ll just scare her off again.”
I shift my weight, rubbing at the tension gathering at the base of my skull. “And if I don’t push, I’ll lose her anyway.”
“Then she’s not as smart as I thought,” Kia says matter-of-factly. “But something tells me she is. You don’t look at someone the way she looks at you unless you’re already half in love.”
Her quiet confidence lands with unexpected force. I study her for a long moment, trying to figure out when my little sister stopped being a kid and grew up.
“When the hell did you get so wise?”
