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“Do you now?” His tone was stony.
Georgie persevered. “Yes. We want different things.”
He raised one eyebrow. She’d never seen him look so cold. “Do we?”
She nodded.
“Are you going to stand there and tell me that you don’t love me?”
She nodded again.
“Say the words.”
Fuck. “I…” She forced herself to keep dead still. “I don’t love you.” The lie wrapped around her heart like barbed wire and it was all Georgie could do to stay standing. She saw his shoulders droop, just a little.
“I’ll get out of your way then.”
Noooooooooo, she screamed inwardly. Every molecule in her body revolted. He turned away and walked back towards his car. Got in and drove away without looking back at her. Georgie stayed perfectly still for a very long time, afraid that if she moved an inch, she’d shatter into a thousand pieces. Finally, she turned and went back into the house, her movements robotic as she moved into the kitchen. Turned the kettle on to give herself something to do. Was this harder than having a building fall on you? Yes, she thought, gripping the edge of the bench. Yes, it was. It was too much. Her legs gave out and she slid to the floor, holding her face in her hands. Too far gone even for tears.
CHAPTER28
Ryan didn’t feel a thing as he drove the short distance from Georgie’s up to the Lighthouse. Parked the car mindlessly. Walked to his cabin. Stepped inside. Slumped into the dining chair. Georgie didn’t love him. Georgie didn’t love him. Georgie didn’t love him. He’d come prepared with his ultimatum and she’d cut him off at the knees. Hadn’t even waited. And she’d looked so stony faced when she’d told him she didn’t love him. And why the hell would she lie about it? So it must be true. He’d wanted to argue, to fight, to insist that she felt something for him. Aye, and maybe she did. But it clearly wasn’t enough. Much better to know now, before he made any further declarations. The last thing he wanted was to make a git of himself. Mooning over her while she was planning to end it. He was tempted to clean out the cabin and head straight back to Melbourne. The fact that he was to help Brandon finalize the recruitment of the practice manager was all that held him back. So he’d stay until after the interview the next day. He’d give Georgie her birthday present. And he’d walk away. Go back to Melbourne. Try, somehow, to live with this gaping hole in his heart. Because he knew this was it for him. Georgie was it. The one. He’d never love anyone the way he loved Georgie. He dropped his forehead to his hand and tried to resist the slow, agonizing breaking of his heart.
* * *
Ryan tried to avoid looking at Georgie’s house as he parked in front of the clinic, but a quick glance showed him that her car was there. He was going to struggle to deal with being inside the clinic, trying to be professional, knowing she was just a few feet away. But what was the point of feeling like that, since she may as well be on the moon for how distant she was. He let himself in to the clinic and set up for the interview in the office Brandon had made. He would have enjoyed this, he thought. Watching Georgie and Brandon turn this old, rundown building into something good and meaningful. He knew Georgie would bring boundless energy to the project and that it would, in turn, bring her joy. He gave himself a shake, forcing himself to stop thinking about it. Hearing a car pull up, followed quickly by another, he went to the door to greet their best candidate for the management of the clinic.
An hour later, Brandon said, “That went well,” coming back to the office after saying goodbye to a very enthusiastic candidate.
“Aye. He’s keen. Not sure about his wife, though.”
“Yeah, I thought that. Small town might be a bit much for her.”
“Exactly. If it falls through, you let me know. I can help you go through the other candidates from Melbourne.”
“Huh? Why wouldn’t you be here?”
Ryan shot Brandon a glance. He was leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets and one foot crossed over the other. The confusion in his eyes was obvious. Georgie hadn’t told him. “I’m heading out later today and I’ve no reason to be coming back.”
Brandon stared at him for the longest time, then swore under his breath. “She didn’t?”
“Leave it, lad. She knows what she wants.”
“The fuck she does!”
Ryan held up a hand. He didn’t have the strength to get into it with Brandon. “As I said, you know where to find me if you need any help. You’re doing good work here and I’m happy to offer what assistance I can.”
“You’ll still send me patients?”
“Of course.” Jesus, what was he getting himself in for? Tying himself to this for years to come. But from a distance. Loosely connected to Georgie, but nowhere near her. Torture.
“Okay. Great.” Brandon seemed about to say something more but stopped himself. Instead he stepped forward and held his hand out. “Thank you, Ryan. For everything.”
“You’re welcome.”
“When are you going?”
“A few hours. I have to make some phone calls and clean out the cabin.”
