“I told you this was my decision.”
“I know.” Matt nodded calmly. “You decided Daddy was right. You want some suit-wearing guy who can support the lifestyle you’re used to.”
“Matt—”
“A guy like that…I’m sure time wouldn’t be an issue. They’re home every night at five o’clock on the dot.”
“Matt, please—”
“I guess your father was right.”
“What?”
“The first time I met him, he told me you’d come to your senses one day and realize what a…how did he put it? Oh, yeah. You’d realize what a nobody I was.”
With a steady stream of tears running down her face, Kat shook her head. “I’veneverthought that.”
More hurt and pissed than ever before, Matt needed to get the hell out of there. Needed to get away from her.
Calling upon every ounce of strength he had, he shrugged casually and spit out, “Like you said. This has been fun.”
He turned and started for his truck. God, he felt sick to his soul. He’d been planning today for weeks. Had saved every extra penny he could to buy her the perfect ring.
The ring.
With a sudden urgency to be rid of the damn thing, Matt shoved his hand in his pocket and pulled it out. Chest heaving, his nose and eyes burned as he stared down at it resting in his open palm.
Bile churned deep inside his belly as all his hopes and dreams of a future—a future with Kat—were shattered in an instant.
“I guess I won’t be needing this anymore.” He tossed the ring at her.
Not expecting it, Kat fumbled to catch the small piece of jewelry. When she opened her hand and saw what it was, she gasped.
“Matt.” His name escaped on a whisper, more tears spilling over as she lifted her eyes back to his. “W-what…”
Her voice cracked again, and it was clear she had no idea what to say. Guilt, shame, and pain intermingled behind the eyes that, less than twenty minutes ago, Matt thought he’d find looking back at him for the rest of his life.
Now as he stood there with his heart lying at his feet, he realized he couldn’t stand to stare into those same eyes a second longer.
“Have a nice life, Katherine”
Without another word, he walked away from the girl he’d planned a future with. One who owned him, heart and soul.
Each step brought with it a new sense of pain and anger. Devastation unlike anything he’d ever known damn near broke him, and it was all he could do to not run back to her and beg her for another chance.
Instead he got into his truck and drove. For hours, Matt drove everywhere and nowhere, tears falling as he wracked his tortured brain to come up with the signs he had to have missed. Something that would have warned him this was coming. But there was nothing.
Hours later, with less than a quarter of a tank of gas left, he headed back home. That night, as he lay in bed pushing back more tears threatening to fall, Matt made himself a silent vow.
Never. Again.
He’d thought falling in love would bring him happiness and a sense of belonging. In the end, the only thing loving Kat had done was bring him pain. A pain he would never, ever risk feeling again.
Chapter 1
Present day…
“Not bad.”
