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Emma watched me with a grim expression. “It’s all fallen into your lap, Gabe. You’ve wanted this team for as long as I’ve known you. We can work on things between us. My therapist says—”
“I’ve met someone else. I can’t be in a room with her without needing to touch her. I don’t know what it is, but it’s beyond my control. I can’t put this longing into words. Are you happy with that? You want to be with me knowing that I can’t love you? Knowing that I am so in love with someone else it makes me sick that I’ve lost her? She betrayed me too. I must have a sign on my head.”
Emma’s face darkened. Silence stretched between us.
After a while, Emma spoke softly. “I didn’t think you were capable of it.”
“What?”
“Falling in love.” She shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. “But it turns out you are. Just not with me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. I’m sorry for what I did to you. I’m so sorry. Your dad was … you know how he was … so charming … so charismatic. I got swept away even though I knew it was wrong. I knew it would hurt you.” She nodded sadly and hugged herself. “No. You’re right. I don’t want this. I thought there was a chance that you might forgive me, but I don’t deserve it …” Her eyes slipped away. “It doesn’t matter.” She chewed her lip.
Guilt prickled the back of my neck at the pain etched into her face. “I forgive you, Emma, but I can’t have a relationship with you.”
Emma nodded sadly. “I know. Of course, I know. Your mother won’t be happy. She was the one that wanted this.”
“I’ll handle her.”
“You’ll lose the team.”
My chest tightened. “I’ll handle that, too.”
She blew out a breath and stood, smoothing her hands over her dress. “I’ll get my publicist to draw up a statement.”
She walked to the door. With her hand on the knob, she paused to look back at me. “If you love this girl as much as you say you do, then don’t walk away from it. Fix it.”
“She won’t even talk to me.”
“But you love her?”
A tight knot twisted in my stomach. “Yes.”
Warmth crept into Emma’s smile. “Then it’s fixable.”
A crescent moon hung in the sky by the time I got to Mrs. Forster’s house. I hoped it wasn’t too late to disturb her, but I was desperate. I had to explain myself. I couldn’t allow Miri to think I’d got back together with Emma. She wouldn’t talk to me, so I’d have to do things the old-fashioned way. I clutched the envelope in my hand. Writing a letter with a pen had been strange at first, but then the words had poured out of me.
I knocked on the door. No reply. A light shone from the living room window. Mrs. Forster was in there. Maybe she’d nodded off in front of the television. I moved to the neat front garden and peered through the living room window. Confusion swept over me before my heart dropped to my knees. Mrs. Forster lay on the living room floor, her limbs at odd angles.
Oh God. No.
“Karl,” I shouted over my shoulder to the limo. “Call an ambulance.”
Pain shot through me as I slammed my body against the front door. It didn’t budge. I took a breath and put my full weight into ramming the door. With a loud crack, the door gave way, flying off its hinges. I stumbled forward into the hallway and raced into the living room.
I dropped down to my knees next to her. “Mrs. Forster?”
Her skin was a deathly gray. My fingers slipped to her neck, searching for a pulse. Memories of my father slammed through my mind, but I had to keep a clear head. My heart pounded in my chest. I wasn’t religious, but a prayer went through my head.
Please let her be okay.
Mrs. Forster was such a lovely, kind woman. I didn’t want this pain for Miri, for any of them. I’d learned CPR. After Dad, I’d vowed I’d never be so unprepared again. Panic rioted inside but I shoved it away. There would be time to fall apart later.
I dropped down on my knees next to her. I pumped on her chest, alternating firm compressions with breaths into her mouth. Adrenaline coursed through me.
“It’s okay. You’re okay. Help is coming. Please come back. Miri needs you to be okay. They all need you. I’m here. I’m not letting you go.”
