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Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised by this sudden twist.
Poppy is young.
She’s entitled to change her mind.
Just because she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, doesn’t mean it’s the same for her.
It takes effort to fight down the riotous emotion gurgling up inside me, fighting to break free and spew everywhere. “Why?”
Her gaze flickers away before returning of its own accord. “You were right about us being in different places.”
I was right…
There’s not much I can say to that. She was so insistent this could work, and I was desperate to believe her.
Believe this had a fighting chance to flourish into something more.
It’s the reason I was against getting involved in the first place. She’s a junior in college and a full-time student. Her life is stretched out in front of her. She should be going to parties, football games, and dating guys like Levi.
But that’s not where I am.
Barely can I remember a time when I didn’t have the weight of the world resting on my shoulders, crushing me to the earth.
There’s absolutely nothing for me to say.
“Okay.” My hands fall away from her face, drifting uselessly to my sides.
The crystal-like tears pooling in her eyes turn them luminous. All I want to do is drag her to me.
But I can’t.
I won’t force or guilt anyone into loving me.
When she remains still, I say gruffly, “You should go.”
With a jerk of her head, she sucks in a deep breath before sliding off the counter. Even though I’ve retreated, she closes the distance before reaching out and cradling my cheek with her palm. I can’t help but press my face into her soft touch.
When her tongue darts out to moisten her lips, I shake my head, forcing out the command. “Go.”
There’s only so much I can take.
She blinks as a single tear treks down her cheek. “I’m sorry, Mason.”
I lock my muscles so I won’t fall to my knees and beg her to reconsider. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for. We gave it a shot, and it didn’t work out. No harm, no foul.”
It would be so much easier if I believed those words.
If they were the truth.
She reaches onto the tips of her toes and presses a kiss against my lips before drawing away and searching my eyes one last time. “Goodbye.”
“Bye.”
With that, she walks away.
Out of my garage.
And my life.
