Page 60 of Burning Obsession

“Yeah, but that’s fiction.” I quickly cut him off. “And this is real life.”

“Exactly. But tell me. Doesn’t it look good in real life? Why not give it a shot? Just go, Jake. Work it out or get over it and move on. But do something and stop sulking.”

The line goes quiet.

“I’ll think about it. I got to go.”

“I hope it’s to get on a plane.”

Stellan doesn’t say goodbye. He just hangs up.

I sit there and think about what Stellan said. My teeth sink into the tender flesh of my bottom lip, my eyes closing as I try to clear my head.

What the hell should I do?

“Fuck it.”

I stand up and head to my bedroom, straight to my closet, get my suitcase out, and start packing. If I'm going to make a mistake, I'm going to make it standing right in front of him.

Tomorrow, I'm going to get on that plane and confront him. I’m not going to pretend like what he did doesn’t bother me, but I am going to listen to what he has to say. Then, well, I guess we’ll see what happens.

When I get there, I'll message him and have him meet me somewhere in public. Someplace with people around so we don’t cause a scene, but quiet enough that we can talk. I want to be able to look him in the eyes when I finally hear the truth from him.

Then and only then will I decide what happens next.

Because tomorrow, I'm going to find out if there's still an us. If I even want there to be an us. When I talk to him, I’ll finally know if he’s worth the pain or if I’m going to let him go.

Either way, I'm done wondering what our relationship could’ve been if he didn’t keep this important detail from me.

Chapter 19

Jake

My stomach’s been tied in knots since I woke up this morning. Not butterflies of excitement because I’m going to see the man I love. More unresolved anxiety over the fact that I am going to see him. That I’m going to confront the man I love. The very man who has been the person that’s had my life so torn up because he’s been sending me gifts for months. Stalking, finding out all the things I like.

All night I thought about what Stellan said. Trying my damnedest to see it from Victor’s point of view. Would I be capable of doing the same thing if I were in his position? Would I keep it a secret if I were in his place and found that the object of my obsession didn’t like or want what I was doing?

More importantly, would I never tell him, for fear of him reacting the same way I did? Stellan’s right, I need closure. I need to hear what Victor has to say and then make a decision on what I want.

It also didn’t help that the flight had the worst turbulence. Was it fate telling me that I was making a mistake? That I should’ve kept my ass at home and turned into a spinster with about a dozen cats? Men can be spinsters, can’t they? If not, then I’ll be the first and start a new trend.

But I’m here, and I’m going to see him. Today. Everything will be over and handled. Either I accept things and we move forward, or I let him speak his truth and I walk away. For good.

Once we’re able to deboard the plane, I head straight for the exit. All I brought was a carry on and I’ve already confirmed the hotel has a shuttle to and from the airport. I just need to go find it.

As I wait for the shuttle, I finally check my phone. I unblocked Victor right before getting on the plane, so I want to see if he’s messaged or called.

But there’s nothing.

I mean that’s totally expected. It’s not like he’s checking my number every few minutes to see if he can reach me. Hell, if he really wanted to contact me, he could’ve used someone else's phone, or even got one of those cheap ass pay-as-you-go ones. But he didn’t.

Fuck, I sound like a crazy person. First, I’m mad he was basically stalking me, and now I’m pissed that he isn’t. What the hell is wrong with me?

I should be thankful that he respected my wishes, but the petty person in me is pissed that he did. Mad that he didn’t try to reach out to me.

A tiny, miserable part of me had hoped that the second I unblocked him, he'd somehow know. That he'd call immediately. Send a dozen messages telling me how much he missed me and how sorry he is that he kept something so huge from me. But then that nagging voice in my head reminds me how ridiculous that is.

But I remember I told him I didn't want to see him. Didn’t want to talk to him and blocked him. He respected my wishes and instead of being thankful, I’m hurt.