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The reality of what he’s saying is like a trickle of ice water down my back. “So you don’t want me to meet Zoe because you’re confident I’ll leave and she’ll end up feeling abandoned.”
I can see the confirmation all over his face. I’m not surprised, but no matter how much I anticipate what he really thinks of me, the truth is still like an ice pick to my ever-tender heart.
“A lot of men would keep their dating life separate, but I’m an all-in kind of guy. If I’m dating someone, I don’t want to live two separate lives.”
“Did you ever consider what the other person might want?”
His Adam’s apple bobs. “Is that what you’re really asking?”
“Why didn’t you give me a chance?” It hurts to say that kind of question aloud, no matter how many times I’ve asked it in my head—to my mother, to boys I dated when I was younger, to everyone who underestimated me.
“You live your life with one foot out the door.” He rakes a hand through his hair, disturbing the neat style. “And I don’t take chances.”
There’s a lump in my throat as big as a boulder. I was supposed to tell him how I feel, to tell him that this time Icouldstay...but it feels so fraught. So risky. What if I offer and he says no?
“I like you, Drew. It’s been so long since I even considered breaking my rules about dating, and I’m totally and utterly enamoured by you. But that doesn’t change my circumstances and finding that ticket, it just...it solidified why this won’t work.”
The words twist in my chest, cutting and slicing me up. “You’ve already written me off.”
“I’ve writtenusoff, because we’re not compatible. I want long-term and you crave adventure. I’ve set down roots and you want to see the world.”
But I don’t. I mean,sure, I love to travel and that desire won’t ever go away. It’s part of the reason I wanted to be a flight attendant, but I’ve been running. Not searching. Not seeking. Not exploring.
Running.
“I like you so much I know it will kill me when you leave.”
“When, notif.” His choice of words tells me everything.
Flynn’s face is a slipping mask, his emotions finally revealed for their raw reality. He’s hurting, and so am I. Because we don’t trust one another yet. There’s something here, something special and good, but neither one of us are brave enough to nurture it.
“You said it yourself,” he says, his voice thick. “You never tried to hide that you live a different life. That you want different things. Fuck, you didn’t even want me to know your name.”
“Because this wasn’t supposed to go anywhere.” Tears are threatening again, but I will not let him see me cry. Never, ever again. “I guess...ithasn’tgone anywhere.”
“I didn’t want to hurt you.” He looks anguished, guilty. There’s a deep crease between his brows, but as I’m about to walk away, there’s a blur of colour. Pink. And highlighted hair.
“Drew!” Annaleigh’s frantic voice cuts through the heavy tension simmering between Flynn and I. “Have you seen her?”
“What?” I whirl around. “Who?”
“Presley.” Annaleigh’s eyes are wide. “She’s gone.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Flynn
HALFANHOURLATER, the bride is nowhere to be found. If I needed a more dramatic representation of why I never let people get close, this is it. The groom’s side of the bridal party is sitting in a parlour room, dumbfounded that the day’s festivities aren’t going ahead. My cousin is spouting off in fist-shaking fury, vowing to drag Presley back here to save face.
I doubt that’s going to work. I also doubt a marriage that started off in such a fashion would be destined to last.
“I can’t fucking believe it,” Mike rages. “She was supposed to be the reliable one—it’s her sister that’s the attention-seeking hot mess. I bet she got in her ear about me.”
“Don’t drag Drew into this,” I growl.
My brother shoots me an arched-brow look across the room. His bow tie is hanging loose around his neck and his hair is askew. The two other groomsmen, friends of Mike, attempt—unsuccessfully—to calm him down.
“How could shedothis me?” He white-knuckles a crystal glass and when it looks like he’s about to hurl it across the room, one of the groomsmen pulls it out of his hand.
