Page 106 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

I let off the throttle slightly, the bike’s growl softening. What would Gary think if he could see me now?

“Sorry, Gary,” I muttered under my breath, the words swept away by the wind. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I never wanted that.”

But I had. More than once. And every time I saw the pain in Merritt’s eyes, it twisted something deep inside me. Why couldn’t I stop being such an ass? She deserved better—better than me, better than the excuses I gave, better than the promises I kept breaking.

She deserved everything she gave so freely to others. Grace. Love. Acceptance. And maybe, if I tried harder, I could be the man who gave it back to her. She needed a man that was going to show up for dinner every night in one piece without a concussion. She didn’t need to be cleaning my injuries and worrying about my bruised ribs.

The thought slowed me down even more, my grip on the handlebars loosening as clarity began to seep in. I didn’t want to lose her. Not over this, not over anything. Merritt was worth every fight, every challenge, every second it took to prove to her that I could be better. She was my chance at something real, something lasting. And all I had to do was promise her I wouldn’t risk my life.

It wasn’t even a choice. She was worth it.

The road ahead curved into a gentle bend, and I leaned into it easily, my thoughts clearer than they’d been in days. The rush was gone, replaced by something calmer, steadier. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could breathe again. The slower speed felt good. I could feel my nerves calming and my heartrate slowing as the adrenaline started to ebb.

And then, out of nowhere, headlights filled my vision.

The blinding light came too fast. The headlights were in my lane coming straight for me. My heart jumped into my throat. I yanked the bike to the right, tires screeching against the pavement. Burning rubber filled my nostrils. The sound of brakes locking up behind me was deafening. For a split second, time froze. Metal against metal and a violent impact that sent me flying.

Then, everything went dark.

42

MERRITT

The graveyard was quiet, the kind of quiet that sank into your skin and stayed there. I held my coat tightly around me, more for the comfort than the cold. This was not how I imagined my night going. Hell, nothing about this felt predictable. When they said it was a small world, they weren’t kidding.

Kleo sat beside me on the stone bench that someone had so thoughtfully put in the graveyard. It was a place for reflection. I stared out at the shadowy stones stretched out before us, dotted with flowers and velvet hearts—an odd juxtaposition of life’s fragile beauty against its inevitability. Valentine’s Day was coming, and even here, love made its mark. It was sad to think of people mourning their Valentines. I never would have thought to bring Valentine’s candy and flowers to a cemetery, but I got it. If Kannon was in this place, I could see myself celebrating the day of love with some flowers.

“Kannon, huh?” Kleo asked.

We had both moved to the bench without really saying much. It felt like we were both in shock.

“Yep.” I nodded.

“And that was your dad you were visiting? Gary Jacobs.”

I nodded, my gaze fixed on a small plaque adorned with fresh roses. It wasn’t my dad’s, but it was close enough to his to catch my eye.

“So you’re her,” Kleo said with a long sigh. “You’re Merritt.”

I licked my lips, hesitating before responding. “I am. You sound like you know me.”

Kleo leaned back, her expression unreadable. “You’re practically famous. I know of you.”

“Famous?” I turned to her with confusion.

She gave me a wry smile. “Among Leah’s friends, at least. We all knew who you were. The girl Kannon never got over. The one who lived rent-free in Leah’s head.”

Her words hit me like a slap I wasn’t prepared for. I blinked, trying to process. “I didn’t even know he was married. We hadn’t spoken in ten years. I never meant to cause Leah any distress. I truly had no idea he felt like that about me. We were friends.”

“I know,” Kleo admitted softly. “And Leah… well, she knew it too. She probably always knew, deep down, that she and Kannon weren’t meant to be.”

I frowned, my chest tightening. “Then why⁠—”

“She was head over heels,” Kleo interrupted, shrugging. “And when Leah wanted something, she took it. Even if it wasn’t hers to have. She thought she could convince him she was the one for him. She used to call us and celebrate what she thought was a big win in their relationship. She competed with you in every way, which is crazy, because she didn’t even know you. You were the person she wanted to overthrow. If she could make you disappear, she would have done it in a heartbeat. Sorry but it’s true.”

That stung. I wanted to argue, but the way Kleo’s voice softened told me she wasn’t just throwing blame. She didn’t seem like she hated me, but I would understand why she would. I was the person that made her friend sad and miserable. I was the person that stood in the way of her friend getting the man she loved.

“I tried to stop her,” she continued. “Told her it wasn’t right. That if a man still carried someone else in his heart, she’d never be able to fill that space. But Leah was stubborn, and I didn’t push hard enough. Maybe I didn’t want to. She was my best friend, Merritt. I wanted her to be happy. I so wanted her to get what she wanted. Leah was amazing. I started to believe she might actually be able to get Kannon to forget about you. Their relationship was fast and furious in the beginning. I thought with time, he would grow to love her. That’s what she was holding on to.”