Page 67 of One Reckless Night

That admission hit me like a punch to the gut. “Then why are you fighting this?”

“Because it’s not that simple,” he said.

“Maybe it is,” I countered. “Maybe you’re just scared.”

His eyes flashed, something dangerous and raw beneath the surface. “Of course I’m scared,” he admitted, and it was the first time I had ever heard him sound so unguarded. “You think I don’t know what happens when you let someone in? When you give them a piece of yourself?”

“And what happens?”

“They leave. They cheat. They fuck with you.”

“I’m not them,” I said softly.

He let out a bitter laugh. “No. You’re not. You’re worse.”

I recoiled as if he had struck me. “Worse?” My voice broke on the word.

And he quickly shut down. That softness disappeared. I knew there was no point in sticking around. He wasn’t going to change.

“I’m going to go,” I said. “I hope we can still work together. I do appreciate my job here and I would like to continue the work.”

“Of course,” he said.

“Okay. Alright. I’ll see you around.”

I hoped, deep down, that he’d stop me from leaving. That he’d lay his heart out for me, confirm my suspicions that he felt the same way—that there was more here. But he didn’t. He just stood there, his expression blank. I felt my heart break a little more.

I turned for the door, my chest tight, but before I could take more than a step, he grabbed my arm.

I stopped, feeling my heart jump with hope. “Yes?”

“Are you sure you won’t be happy with just this?”

I turned to face him. “I want more. If you can’t offer me that, nothing else needs to happen between us.”

He frowned, his grip tightening on my arm. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. Relationships… they’re messy. Complicated. I’m not interested in that.”

I pulled my arm free. I was trying to give him space and let him get his shit together, but I was done playing nice. “Because you tried it once, and it turned out badly? Was that with Gemma?”

He flinched, his expression darkening. “Yes. It was with Gemma. And it didn’t just turn out badly—it destroyed me. I’m not doing that again.”

I stared at him, my chest aching. It was painfully obvious, despite his attempts to hide it, that Gemma had hurt him. That relationship had changed him, and he was still carrying the scars. But that didn’t change the fact that he was pushing me away, refusing to let me in because of what she did.

“Jared,” I said, my voice softer now. “I get it. I do. But you can’t let one bad experience dictate the rest of your life. You can’t shut everyone out because you’re scared of getting hurt again.”

He shook his head. “It’s not just that. I’m too busy for a relationship. I don’t have the time or the energy to give someone what they need.”

I felt a flicker of anger, but it was quickly overshadowed by sadness. Jared Welch, despite his warmth, kindness, and interest in me, was still the arrogant, egotistical man I’d met at the awards show. And I realized, with heartbreaking clarity, that he wasn’t going to change. Not for me. Not for anyone.

“I’m not asking for all your time,” I said. “I’m just asking for a chance. For something real. I’m not Gemma.”

He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. I could see the wheels turning in his mind, calculating the risks, weighing them against whatever it was that he wanted from me. I waited, hoping and praying. Why? Why in the hell was I still hoping? Finally, he looked at me again.

“That’s just it, Amelia,” he said, and there was a note of desperation in his voice. “You’re not Gemma. You’re not anyone else I’ve been with. You’re… different.”

Hearing him say it should have made me happy, but the way he said it made it sound like that was a bad thing. That was a blow to my ego. My self-esteem wasn’t exactly high, and he wasn’t making it any better.

“Different,” I said with a nod. “I see. You’re right.”