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Maybe we did need to talk. Maybe it would help us clear the air—
“Nike called me this morning,” he said, and all the hope flew right out of my chest.
I shook my head, a dark laugh tumbling from my lips. Of course, that’s why he was here.
“They loved your proposal,” he said. “They’re signing on with us. Which means you’ve increased the profits in the company by ten percent.”
“That’s awesome for your company,” I said, practically emotionless. He wasn’t here to explain things. He wasn’t here to beg for me back. He was here to talk business. Fuck, why had I let any shred of hope remain in my heart?
“When are you coming back to work?” he asked.
“Wow,” I said, shaking my head.
I knew he could see how badly I was doing—he was my best friend for a reason, not only could he read me like an opened book, he’d also been in my life long enough to know how I looked when I was having a down moment.
I was definitely in a down vibe right now, one that was hard as hell to shake because I’d allowed myself to fall even deeper in love with him when I knew I shouldn’t have.
But here he was, asking me to come back to work instead of asking about my well-being?
Fuck, thatstung.
“I want you,” he said, and my pulse skittered despite the anger and pain crackling in my heart. “To come back. To work.” It was like the words were hard for him to get out, and I knew he’d always had a hard time expressing himself verbally but fucking hell.
“I need you,” I said, and he blew out a ragged breath, taking a step forward. “To give me space.” I took a step back, and his shoulders dropped. “Can you do that, Wes?” I asked, tears gathering behind my eyes again.
“Brynn, please—”
“Seriously, Weston,” I cut him off. “I need time. I need space. I’ve loved you for longer than you’ve ever realized. And I built my life around yours. I wanted to, you never forced that, and it wasn’t just because you were my best friend or that I loved you. Ibelievedin you. I believed in you and your companies and your ambitions. I believed in your dreams and supported them with everything I had.” I sucked in a sharp breath, letting it out slowly. “And after you broke my heart…or I guess, after Lena did,” I forced the words out. “I realized I’m not in the right state of mind to make any logical decisions about the future right now. Not when I’m still so wrapped up in you I can’t tell where your dreams end and mine begin.”
And I used to think that’s what made us work so well together—we were almost always on the same page.
Until recently.
“What if I don’t want to give you space? What if I need you back?” He leaned in my doorframe, raw emotion spilling from his rich brown eyes.
My heart begged me to give him what he wanted, to forgive everything and go back to the way things were.
But I couldn’t do that.
Not anymore.
“If you don’t give me the space I need,” I said. “I won’t be able to figure out who I am outside of you. I won’t be able to know for sure that what we have won’t leave me ruined and alone in the end. Please?” I asked. “I need this time, Wes. I’m not asking you to wait for me—”
“I’ll always give you what you need, Brynn,” he said. “You know that.”
He backed into my hallway, and I swear my heart broke again. Because I knew he would. Iknewhim. I just needed to figure myself out, and maybe that was selfish, but I wasn’t good for anyone right now. Not like this.
I nodded at him because I had no more words to say before shutting the door.
He stood outside my door for ten minutes before I finally heard him leave.
And I went back to my bed, climbed in, and wondered how the hell I’d gotten myself into this situation, because I knew I had a hand in it.
I didn’t tell him I loved him when I should’ve, and I didn’t think about all the repercussions before diving in head-first with him. There were so many things I didn’t do that I should’ve, and I just needed the time to figure out how to fix it all. But it was incredibly hard to think around the sensation of being ruined so completely I wasn’t sure there would ever be a way to put me back together again.
WESTON
“You looking fucking happy man,” I said, clapping Hendrix on the back.
