Page 112 of Never To Be Mine

“That’s the internet.” I sank deeper into the couch. “So no, I’m not going out to lunch where someone can film me eating a salad and accuse me of virtue signaling or eating a sandwich with actual bread and call me a hypocrite again. I’ll just stay here where it’s safe.”

“Safe and miserable.”

“Better miserable than wrecking my business.”

He set my phone down. “Look, I get it. This sucks. It sucks hard. But hiding in your house isn’t going to fix anything. And you need to eat.” He studied my face. “When’s the last time you talked to Juno?”

My chest tightened at her name. “Yesterday. When she told me we needed space while she cleaned up the mess I made.”

“Space,” Micah repeated. “What does that mean?”

“It means she’s prioritizing business over whatever we had.” I rubbed my face with both hands. “I don’t blame her. I screwed up. I cost her company its reputation again. Why would she want anything to do with me?”

“Because she cares about you?”

I snorted. “I thought she did. Now I’m not so sure.”

Micah was quiet for a moment. “You’re in love with her.”

I looked up sharply. “What?”

“You’re in love with her,” he said again, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “This isn’t just about the business partnership falling apart.”

I wanted to deny it. I’d been telling myself all day I couldn’t possibly be in love with her. Three weeks wasn’t enough time. But the lie wouldn’t come. Instead, I just sat there feeling exposed.

“Yeah,” I admitted quietly. “I think I am.”

“Have you told her?”

“No. What’s the point? She made it pretty clear where I stand on her priority list.”

“Well, sure. You can’t wreck a girl’s family business and expect hearts in her eyes.” Micah leaned back in his chair. “Look, I’m not saying she handled this perfectly. But she’s under a ton of pressure. Her father’s company is taking heat because of your mistake. She’s probably terrified of losing everything she’s worked for.”

“I know that.”

“So fight for her. Fight for both of you.” He stood up. “But you can’t do that from your couch, wallowing in self-pity. You need to get up, get out of this house, and start fixing what you broke.”

“I don’t know where to even start to fix this,” I said with a sigh.

“Start with lunch.”

“Nope. Not leaving.”

“God, you’re a pain in the ass.”

“Yep.”

“I’ll order lunch.”

“Go pick it up,” I said. “I don’t want some DoorDasher posting about what they delivered to my house.”

He laughed. “Damn, you’re paranoid.”

“It’s not paranoia if it’s actually happening,” I said. “These people are obsessed with me.”

Micah pulled out his phone and started scrolling through delivery apps while I stayed planted in my chair, arms crossed, staring at nothing.

“I’ll get something from that Thai place you like,” he said.