Page 138 of My Favorite Hero

“We’re just for now. You made that rule. You knew I’d be leaving.”

I cupped her face. “That was before you got under my skin. Before I fell in love with you.”

“No,” she whispered, pushing my hands away. “You don’t love me, Thorne. You’re reacting to what happened last night. You’re still upset over your family’s betrayal, and you’re clutching on to me like a lifeline. You don’t love me.”

I stood, now angry. “You can’t tell me how I feel. I love you. I think I’ve loved you since you crawled in that window and got stuck. You amaze me every day. You make me laugh.” I stepped closer. “You love me too. You’re just scared.”

“I am not. I don’t love you, Thorne. I don’t love anybody.”

“You loved Lou,” I pointed out.

“I loved Lou as a child. That was different.”

“You can’t go, Casey.”

“I’ve been working for something like this my entire life.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “Then let’s work it out. Figure this out together. I can fly there. You can come home when⁠—”

She stopped me. “No, Thorne. That wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“Why are you fucking throwing us away?” I roared.

“There is no us.”

Her words were like daggers to my chest. The physical pain was real, and it hurt to breathe. I didn’t know how to get through to her. To tell her I knew she was scared. That I understood.

She looked at me, her eyes vacant.

It was too late—she was already gone.

“If you go, Casey, don’t come back. Your apartment won’t be there. I’ll move ahead with my plans and turn this into a single dwelling again.” I met her gaze, mine pleading. “I won’t wait.”

She sighed, the sound long and sad. “I didn’t ask you to.”

She turned and hurried away.

I didn’t sleep that night. I couldn’t stay in the house where she was. She’d closed the closet door, and when I had tried to open it, I’d found she had locked it as well, making her message clear.

Leave her alone. We were done.

I took Miller, and we left the driveway, my thoughts jumbled, my body feeling as if it was a hundred years old, and my heart aching.

I drove aimlessly, parking the truck and letting Miller wander to his heart’s content. He was going to miss his buddy. I supposed I could get him another cat to keep him company.

But how would I replace Casey?

Why was she refusing to admit she loved me? She showed it in a thousand little ways. I felt it. I was smart enough to know the difference between right now and forever. We belonged to the latter. We were meant for each other.

I sat down under the shade of an old tree, my legs too tired to keep me standing anymore. Idly, I wondered how quickly she’d leave. Would she pack up and be gone when I finished my next shift? I’d only be gone two nights, but she didn’t know that yet. She’d dropped her bombshell before I had a chance to tell her. I’d wanted to tease her and tell her how I’d be around more. We’d have more time together.

Now, we had none.

I sat there until evening, feeding Miller his food and water I’d brought him.

I’d brought myself nothing except a bottle of the water I kept on hand in the fridge for Casey. She wouldn’t be drinking it now, so I figured I’d use it.

We drove home, pulling in as dusk settled. We went inside, and Miller headed straight to the pet door, disappearing before I could stop him. I decided to let it go. He’d have to adjust when she was gone.