Page 98 of Slow Burn

But ever since he arrived at work, it’s been one thing after another illustrating his peach deserved better.

First it was Benny talking about his parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary. He was throwing them a party, and the entire station was invited. It was like analysis paralysis took over for Elijah because his past screamed at him as a reminder of how he was shit at commitment. He was playing with fire because Georgia was ready to settle down with the first man she fucked. His anxiety triggered that she only wanted him because he was all she knew.

Next, Scarlett asked if she could bring a date, and, of course, Benny said, “The more the merrier.” But then he looked at Elijah and Nash and told them they, of course, could not bring some random fuck who was going to mean nothing to them the next day. Benny didn’t want some one-night stand in his family photos. Understandable, but it left Elijah with a sour taste in his mouth. The people who knew him best, his fucking fire team who had his back in life-and-death situations, thought the only date Elijah could manage was a random woman.

He didn’t want Georgia’s reputation tied to his.

Nash gave him a look, urging him to tell the station how Elijah was, in fact, dating someone. But he clammed up. It had nothing to do with who he was or his past, but it was about Georgia. The gossip would be attached to her, and everyone would think of how she deserved better. She’d eventually realize he wasn’t good enough and his peach would leave him.

He didn’t say shit because his brain was like rapid fire, and he needed time to pick apart what the hell was making him panic. Naturally, that was when she showed up.

“I can’t believe I thought you were sincere when you wanted to date. You’re so full of it!” Georgia apparently did not care that they were in his office, not a soundproof room, as she yelled at him. “Your whole song and dance about being together had nothing to do with actually being in a relationship. It was your egotistical brain going caveman because you took my virginity.”

Elijah pushed out his chair. He needed space in this small-as-hell office.

“I knew this was going to happen!” He slammed his hands on his desk.

She flipped her hair over her shoulder like she was disgusted with him and the conversation. “What were you so clairvoyant about that you knew this was going to happen?”

“That you would expect more!” Elijah, frustrated, threw his hands in the air.

The laugh trickling out of her wasn’t humorous.

No.

This was more like she was done.

She pointed at him. “Yes, I did expect more.”

“Of course,” he muttered because she finally admitted it.

“I expected you to be honest with me. I expected you to treat me with respect. I expected you to communicate with me. When you date someone, the goal is to see if you’re a match to grow old together, not run hot and cold whenever it suits you.”

“Grow old together?” Fear overtook him, a fear he thought he was rid of.

She glared at him, but this time around, she had water in her eyes. “Yes, Elijah. You are thirty-eight years old. Being a commitment-phobe has aged out.”

“My job is dangerous. How can you build a dream of longevity when something could happen to me?” he snapped.

Georgia picked up her purse. “I realize my mistake.”

Holy fuck, this was it. Elijah was certain his heart was going to explode into a million pieces he’d never be able to put back together.

“What was your mistake?” he whispered.

“That all I expected was the bare minimum, and I deserve more.”

He hung his head. “That’s what I was telling you.”

Keeping her head held high, Georgia marched to his door and flung it open. “We’re done. Over. Elijah, you need to realize your job doesn’t define our relationship. And I can’t promise that when it happens, I’ll still be waiting.”

Georgia took the high road and didn’t slam his door. It didn’t matter because his heart was crushed regardless.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-FOUR

BREAKUPS WERE UNBEARABLE. It took two weeks of wallowing between work and sleep before she was in any capacity to see her friends. Anna and Sophie were pretty insistent on visiting, but she couldn’t play host when she was miserable.