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“We didn’t have to break up for that! You could’ve talked to me and explained all of that.”
“I tried, Charlie. I tried so hard to get you to go to California, but you wanted to be together. Shit, I wanted that too! You were too focused on us finally being together again, you didn’t care about anything else… so, I did what I had to do.” I lift my shoulders in a shrug even though I know she isn't looking at me, she’s facing my feet.
“So, you broke my heart, knowing I’d put distance between us?” She whispers softly.
“No, sweetheart. I destroyed both of our hearts so one day you wouldn’t look back and resent me and our relationship because you followed me around the country instead of doing what you always dreamed of.”
“Instead, I look at you and remember how much pain I was in for weeks.”
I sit up on my forearms and stare at Charlie over my shoulder. She’s moved around to the end of the table so she’s once again facing me, but her head is down as she continues working on my muscles.
“I remember crying myself to sleep every night. I remember feeling so alone and having no one to talk to about it.”
The pain in her voice grows with each statement. It makes it harder and harder for me to suck in a full breath. I never thought about all of this when I made my decision to break up with her. Hell, it was a rash decision I’ll regret for the rest of my life. She was about to lose her spot at the college in LA and I didn’t know what else to do.
“I remember how weird it was to come home and how awkward it was to see your parents, knowing things were different. More than anything, I remember how all of my dreams and my future went up in flames because I no longer had the man I thought I’d marry.”
“Charlie,” I whisper her name like it’s a prayer. I don’t know how to fix things between us, but I know I need to do something. There’s no way I can handle being away from her any longer.
Every time we’re near each other, my hands itch to hold her. I want to slip my arm around her waist or grip her hips as she stands in front of me. Slide my fingers through her long hair and massage her scalp. Or lift her into my arms and curl up on the couch with her. It’s like my body forgets she isn't mine anymore, no matter how many times my brain tries to remind it.
“No.” She swipes a few tears off her cheek and shakes her head. “I don’t want to hear it, Wyatt. Being around you is hard enough, please don’t try to make excuses for what happened between us. It’s over and I'm not sure I’d want to try again.”
“Why the hell not?” I flip over and grab her hand before she can run away from me. I tug her between my legs and lock my feet behind her. I'm not backing down from this. Not now.
Not when we’re going to be working together for the foreseeable future. Not when we’re both living in the same town and we’re constantly going to see each other on Mulberry Lane. More than anything, not when she’s hurting just as much as I am.
“We’re not the same people anymore, Wyatt,” she sighs. “We’ve barely been around each other since I graduated high school. Do you really think you’re the same person as you were when you graduated high school?”
“Then get to know me again. Spend time with me and let me show you who I am now. Let me prove I'm still the boy you fell in love with.” I hold her hands in mine, practically begging her to let me in even the smallest amount.
“I don’t know…”
“It doesn’t have to just be us. We can invite Cici, Cord, Leo, and Macy. Hell, even Smithy can join us. I don’t care as long as you’re there.”
“We both know it would be a disaster if we invite all of them to hang out together. Things are still weird between Leo and Cici. It has been since we went to that haunted house and hayride when I was a senior in high school. And asking Cord and Macy to share the same air is like asking for a fight to break out. If you add in Smithy, Macy’s going to start flirting, just to piss off Cord. It won't end well.”
“Then it sounds like it should just be the two of us.” I grin, lifting her chin so she’s forced to meet my gaze. “Go out to dinner with me, pretty girl.”
She stares at me for a solid twenty seconds before she shakes her head and takes a step away from me. I release her from my hold and watch her carefully. I can't force her to give me another shot, but I'm not going to give up either.
“No. I have to be on a plane back to California tonight.”
“I thought you took the job.” My brows form a deep V. Didn’t Owen say she was the new physical therapist? She’ll need to be here in order to do that job. It’s not something she can do virtually.
“I did, but I need to pack up my life and move back here.”
“Did you find a place to live?”
“Not yet. I haven’t really had time to look. I figure I can stay with my parents until I can look for something permanent.”
“You can stay with me,” I offer, hoping she’ll actually takes me up on it.
“Yeah… that definitely wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“Why not?” I flinch back like she just slapped me. I knew it was a long shot, but I didn’t expect her to sound so disgusted with the idea.
“Because where would I sleep, Wyatt?” She tosses her hands in the air and lets them fall back to her sides.
