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“That’s your choice.”
“Oh, it’s not a choice. Hasn’t been since I fell in love with you. It’s a certainty.Weare.”
She sighs and steps back. “I don’t know how else to say it so that you get it. So, just go. Go.”
I fold my arms over my chest and give a cocky smile. “No.”
Her brow furrows as her eyes move rapidly back and forth. “What do you mean,no?”
“I mean, I’m not going to be the one to walk away from you. If you want me to go—which will not mean I’ve given up—you’re going to have to be the one to walk away from me this time.”
She stares me down before the facade cracks slightly. “Nick…” Her pleading voice is barely a whisper. I know she wants me to be the one to go. She wants to hold onto her anger. I won’t give her the satisfaction.
“I’m never walking away from you, Señorita.”
She mashes her lips together as she stares at me. For a moment, I think she might break, but then she straightens, and I know what’s coming.
“Fine, then.” She turns on her heel and walks inside, shutting the door behind her.
I stand there staring at the door for too long. Then I go back to my Explorer and sit in the driver’s seat, staring at the front door for another five minutes, willing the door to open. For her to run to me. Let me in. But she doesn’t.
Knowing nothing is going to change—at least not tonight—I finally pull out of the driveway. I make my way down the hill and take a right onto a seasonal road, one that won’t be passable in another month or two. After a mile or so, it drops me onto a different road and I make a quick left. Down another hill, and I finally pull into the driveway as emotions threaten to spill out of me.
I don’t bother knocking—not sure I’ve ever knocked—I just walk through the front door, pretending all is fine. With no one else around, I make my way upstairs and knock on the door.
“It’s open.”
I walk in and instantly feel the seams start to burst. Braden leaps off his bed and crosses the room to me.
“What happened?” he asks, putting a hand on my shoulder.
As the words slip out, I crumble.
I’m doing everything I can to have faith. To believe in us. But I’m scared. I don’t want to lose her. She’s everything to me. Her and our baby. They’re my heart. My world. I can’t—
Braden throws his arms around me in a tight hug. “It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.”
I don’t necessarily believe him, but I hope he’s right, because I don’t want to do this without her.
