Page 93 of Bastard Bartender

My heart drops into the pit of my stomach.

I start toward the door. Please don’t let me go. Please stop me. “It is. I’d be crazy to turn it down.”

“You have to take it.”

“I am.”

His chest heaves, and he lets out a curse under his breath as he clenches his side. There’s a quiver in his chin as he nods. “Good. I’m happy for you.”

I swallow hard as I take in the fact that he called me on my bluff. It’s a good thing. I needed a push out the door. I was a fool to have wanted to choose him over my career.

Before I lose my nerve, I spin on my heels and am at the door, opening it quickly. Of course, as brave as I pretend to be, I can’t help but close my eyes and utter in complete honesty, “I’ll miss you.”

I don’t dare look at him.

“I’m sure you will.” His voice sounds like my statement confuses him.

Mostly because he didn’t say he’d miss me too.

As I walk out the door, I know I could have stayed. I should have told him I wanted to. I could have even made it work. Except the one thing I can’t help but feel pain over is the fact that he never once said he loved me back.