Page 209 of The Heart You Kept

I close my eyes to block him out.

“What’s the worst that could happen…. You get your heart broken?”

I clench my jaw.

“From where I stand, your heart is already breaking by not being with her.”

My eyes hold his.

“Are you really going to let her go?”

“She’s better off without me.”

“But are you better off without her?”

I swallow a lump in my throat. “I just don’t need to deal with this shit today.” I turn back to my computer and begin typing. “If I wanted to see you I would have come to London. You’ve wasted your time coming here.”

“Everyone is worried about you.”

“No need to be.” I hit the computer key with force. “I’m fine.”

“Okay, that’s fine. You keep hiding from your emotions.” He stands. “Throw away five years of our work together because you are too stubborn to let your heart out in the open. Too afraid to love someone.”

The computer screen blurs. “Get out.”

The door clicks as he closes it behind him and his words hang in the air like an echo. Your heart is already breaking by not being with her.

Make it stop.

An Alora-less life is a sad existence.

I sit in my car and stare through the windscreen as I watch her cross the road.

She’s talking to Helene and laughing as they walk along together, she has a takeaway coffee in her hand.

She’s back, and while she looks refreshed and happy, I’ve had two weeks of feeling like the world is coming to an end.

Complete insanity.

Her long dark hair is swept up into a ponytail and just the sight of her beautiful face flutters my stomach. She’s wearing a cream cashmere turtleneck and a chocolate skirt with long, dark brown suede boots.

So classically Alora.

How does she always look so effortlessly perfect?

I’m ashamed to say it, but as soon as I saw her morning video this morning saying she was back, I came straight here…I literally couldn’t help myself.

I had to see her.

She walks into her store and my heart drops in disappointment.

I close my eyes; I need to get a handle on this obsession.

This isn’t healthy.

ALORA

We walk into the store.