Page 99 of Love Unspoken

Jerome walked up to me. He stood next to me and, like I had, looked down at Shelby and Kath.

"She heard you talking to Miss Patsy."

"What?" I couldn't understand what he was saying. What did he mean she had…. No!

"She heard you tell your mama that you loved Kath and always would. That you weren't sure about Amara. It was⁠—"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me right away?" I roared.

Jerome looked at me sternly. "Keep your voice down, son. She asked me to give her a two-hour head start, and I did."

I looked at my watch. Fuck. It was nearly six, and my grandmother would expect me to join her at the receiving line for our guests in about fifteen minutes.

"Fuck."

"Language, Mister Lucas," he said sternly.

As my grandmother told me, I might be thirty years old, but I was never going to be older than my elders.

"Sorry, Jerome," I muttered, feeling like I was fifteen again. "How was she?"

"Devastated."

I closed my eyes. I picked up my phone, and he shook his head. "What?

"You don't do this over the phone."

"Grandma is expecting me downstairs. I can't go to South of Broad and make it back here in time to greet our guests."

Jerome took a deep breath. "In that case, you don't have anything to say to Amara. Just let her go." He looked at the gardens, where Kath was talking loudly and excitedly. "In any case, it sounds like you've made up your mind."

"I haven't," I told him sincerely.

He shrugged. "Let me rephrase that. She heard your doubts and made up your mind for you. She's intelligent, kind, and wonderful—and she knows she deserves a man who truly loves her, not someone still hung up on a spoiled girl he fell for when they were both kids. I thought you'd grown up, since Miss Kath certainly hasn't, but it seems you're still not mature enough for a woman like the Professor."

With that barb, Jerome left me holding my phone, contemplating how to handle where I was.

I called Amara and was surprised when she picked up.

"Lucas."

"Amara, where are you?"

"I'm at Basil's place. I'm going to stay here until I figure out what to do next."

It was surreal how we were ending without my doing anything or saying anything to her.

"Don't you think we should talk first?"

"Of course. Do you love Kath, Lucas?"

I didn't reply. It would be cruel to answer that question honestly.

"Do you love me?"

"I care so much about you," I whispered, feeling inadequate. I had been so sure of Amara and me, and now I wasn't. How did one afternoon change everything so drastically?

"There, we talked. I…I can't afford to pay the mortgage on the townhouse on my own and⁠—"