“Goodbye, Ivy,” he murmured, with crumpled shoulders and downcast eyes.
“No!” The kiss with Miki pricked at me like a thorn. “Karson, please,” I said, regret ripping through me like wildfire after a long drought.
“Why? Why? Why?” He pleaded. “We were perfect together… I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“We still can be,” I said desperately, my eyes stinging. “It was nothing, I swear.” Tears spilled down my cheeks. “Just let me explain—”
He retreated to the door. “I’m very sorry I interrupted your night.” He left without a backward glance.
I followed him outside. “Karson!” I sobbed.
But he vanished into the shadows of the night, taking what was left of my heart with him.
I shuffled back inside, numb, closing the door firmly behind me. The pounding in my chest reached a deafening crescendo.
“Ivy,” Miki said, emerging from the bathroom. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault! Why did I have to let my feelings for you get the better of me? I thought maybe you felt the same.”
“Miki, I had no idea,” I spluttered as I collapsed on the chair.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Ivy.”
“I shouldn’t have gotten that drunk. Maybe then I wouldn’t have been practically naked in bed with you, and you wouldn’t have gotten the wrong idea.”
“No, this is on me. And I’m really,reallysorry. I didn’t mean to get so drunk, and I just got ahead of myself.”
“Well, I feel stone-cold sober now,” I cried, leaning my head into my hands.
How did this happen?I’d lost Karson. And caused him so much pain.
“You have to make him understand. You can fix this, I’m sure of it,” Miki said.
“I hope you’re right. I love him too much to lose him like this.”
21
WRECKAGE
KARSON
When I arrived home from seeing Ivy, I collapsed in a heap. My heart crushed.
I didn’t bother to shower. I lived in sweatpants and a hoodie, stuck in the same cycle.
Every breath was a struggle.
Gus asked me what was going on, so I told him I was coming down with something.
I just wanted to be alone.
Nothing anyone said could fix what had happened or fix me. My parents had cast me aside as soon as I was old enough to be shipped off. And now, the only woman I’d ever loved had—
My phone buzzed on the table beside me.
IVY: I’m so sorry, Karson. Can we talk? It was just a kiss. I love you and only you. Please. Call me.
I wanted to call her. To answer her.
But the thought of them kissing—and who knew what else—made me sick with jealousy.
