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“Want me to help you pack a bag for her?”
“I can do it.”
Ignoring the awkward feeling in her gut, she started babbling. “I can watch Joey if Becca wants to go back to the hospital. I don’t mind. It’s more important for her to be with your parents than for me to do anything I might need to do.”
Skylar blew out a deep breath, and his eyes drifted shut. “Look.” He took her by the shoulders again and stared into her eyes. “Things have changed.”
“What do you mean? What’s changed?”
“When I thought my father was dying, I reevaluated my life choices. You were right. We never should have lied to them. That’s on me. It was my idea, and I kept pushing you to keep it up even when you wanted to tell the truth.”
She couldn’t breathe. An invisible freight train headed straight for her. She wanted to move out of the way, but her feet were frozen to the asphalt.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “After the doctor told us Dad was going to make it, I knew I had to be honest. I told my mother everything. I told her we were never engaged.”
Anna’s heart sank. “She hates me, doesn’t she?”
He scoffed. “If anything, she thinks I corrupted you and dragged you into this mess kicking and screaming.”
“I could talk to her. I could tell her it wasn’t like that. You saved me from having to quit my job in humiliation. I owe you everything. I love my job so much. I didn’t want to start over.”
Neither of them spoke. They stared into each other’s eyes. She didn’t know about him, but she wished they could have a do-over. Something in his mannerisms and body language told her that her world was crumbling.
He pushed his hands deep into his pockets. “I want you to know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
She felt paralyzed.
Was he saying goodbye? Now?
He went on. “Thank you for playing my fiancé. Thank you for watching Joey, and thank you for everything you’ve done between that first thing and the last thing. You’re an incredible woman.”
Obviously not incredible enough for him to love. She bit her lower lip to keep the bitterness and anger from years of being told she wasn’t good enough on the inside. It wouldn’t do any good to blast him. He’d made up his mind. A person couldn’t force himself to love someone he didn’t love.
“The good news is you have your life back,” he said. “You can return to the life you had before I came along and turned it upside-down. Nothing at work will change. I will keep to the deal. You can handle any case you want without my interference.”
That would have meant so much to her if he hadn’t just broken her heart into a million pieces.
“That is what you want, isn’t it?” he asked. “Your old life?”
She forced a smile and removed the heirloom emerald ring his mother had so generously given her. Handing it to him, she said, “Of course. That is exactly what I want.”
“I can give you a ride home.”
The last thing she needed was to be stuck in a car with him. “I will call a ride-share.”
He glanced up at his condo. “It’ll take a while for them to get here. Come inside and stay warm.”
If she went back inside with him, she would totally lose it. She’d wind up yelling at him for dumping her or begging him to change his mind. If Skylar wanted his old life back, who was she to stand in his way?
Besides, nothing could warm her. Nothing could chase away the chill that his words inspired. She felt her heart turn to ice and knew she’d never be the same. “I think I’ll take a little walk down to the street. I’m sure I can find a cab or something.”
She walked away.
He called after her. “Anna?”
Tears filled her eyes as she continued down the street. She pulled her cell out and called for a ride. The sooner she got home, the better. She remembered what day it was, that tomorrow was Christmas Day, and a tear spilled down her cheek.
“Anna?”
