I froze. “What?”
“You love me now?”
That made me pause. Because I heard it the second it came out my mouth.
Now I didn’t take it back because it wasn’t a mistake.
“…I’vebeenin love with you, Aurora,” I said. “I just… couldn’t say it.”
She shook her head immediately.
“You don’t love me.”
“I do.”
“You don’t.”
“I do, Bunny,” I said, stepping closer again. “I love you so much. I’ve never loved anyone like I do you. I swear.”
“Marlon—”
She squeezed her eyes shut and held it there for a second like she was trying to gather herself. Then opened them again.
And when she looked at me this time?—
She was done.
“I need space,” she said. “I need you to go.”
“Rory—”
“Now,” she cut in. “Let me get a minute to think.”
I didn’t move. “Is that what you want?”
“Yes.”
I nodded slowly.
“Okay. Take your time. I’ll wait.”
“No,” she said immediately. “You gotta go.”
She didn’t even wait for me to respond before she turned and walked into her room, closing the door behind her.
I stood there in the middle of her living room. Chewy looked up at me from the couch, then laid his head back down like none of this had anything to do with him.
I exhaled slowly, dragging my hand over my face.
I should’ve left.
That’s what she asked for after all.
That’s what she needed.
But my feet didn’t move.
So I stayed right there, sat on her couch, opened my emails on my phone and let the numbers stare back at me. None of it stuck.
