Page 85 of The Image of You

My heart hammered in my chest at her words. It felt as if she was giving up on us.

“Don’t do this to me, to us,” I pleaded. “I can’t leave you like this.”

She pulled back. “But you’ll leave me anyway.”

“And you’ll see Bradley.”

“Not to get back at you. As a friend. Just a friend I can visit with so I’m not alone all the time.”

We stared at each other, frozen at an impasse. She was pale, and I saw the vulnerability and apprehension she was trying to cover. Elena’s death had made her fears of me getting hurt even stronger. My anger subsided, and I chose my next words carefully.

“Are you really going to do this? After everything we’ve been through? You’re going to make me choose? Force me to tell Sean I won’t follow through on my commitment and stay here because you don’t believe me anymore? Because you’re doubting us?”

She blanched, her eyes filling with tears. I gazed at her drawn face and made a decision, reaching behind her for my phone.

“If that’s what you need—if that’s what I have to do to prove this to you, then I will. I’ll call Sean and resign right now. You win.”

All the fight went out of her. Her shoulders slumped and her head dropped. Her emotions were all over the place, making me apprehensive. I needed her to talk to me, but she was shutting down.

“No,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Adam.” She turned away. “I’m so sorry.” Her next words hit me like a Mack truck. “You’re leaving, and I’m so afraid you won’t come back.”

I caught her, spinning and dragging her into my arms, now understanding. Her anxiety was palpable. She was near her breaking point with all this. With me. My own trepidation increased. I couldn’t lose her. We were so close to the end of these long separations.

“I know, Ally. I understand,” I soothed. “It’s almost done. I need you to be strong for a little while longer. Don’t give up on me. You can do this. One last time. For me, please?”

Her fists gripped my shirt, her voice desperate. “You promise?”

“Yes.”

She nodded, her head resting on my chest. “I won’t see Bradley. I was just being a bitch.”

“You’re never a bitch,” I assured her, feeling relieved. I really didn’t want her seeing him. I didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. “You’re not yourself. But I understand, baby. I really do.”

“Okay,” she replied. “We need to get you packed.”

I pressed my lips to her head. “That’s my girl.”

* * *

She didn’t hide her tears when I left. They ran down her face unheeded as we stood by the car. The harsh words we’d exchanged still hung between us. I wanted to leave on a good note—I had to see her smile before I left. I wrapped my arms around her.

“Your ring will be ready this week. You can go pick it up. Show it off.”

She nodded into my chest, tilting her head back and offering me a watery smile.

“Take a picture of it and send it to me. Let me see it on your finger.”

After Elena died, Ally had tucked her ring away, too sad to think about it. Finally, I had pulled it out and taken her with me to see about having it sized. It was time to move on. The rose gold and the intricate pattern on the ring made it a job for a true artist to size it down to fit her tiny finger, and it took longer than we expected. The jeweler located on the main floor of my building had found the same antique rose gold and had been occupied with the careful work to make it flawless. We had been waiting for it to be done. Now I wanted it on her finger.

“I added something,” I whispered to her.

“What?”

“An inscription.”

“What does it say?”

“Always. Forever. Yours.”