AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I meant that you’re a good girl and he’s a dick.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can. I’m just…”
“Worried that someone else will break my heart?”
He sighed and pulled out the DVD of Fight Club from the box. “You can donate all this stuff if you want. I can’t watch this without thinking of you. You’ve ruined my favorite movie for me.” He laughed and lifted the lid of the donation box before I could stop him.
My wedding dress was sitting on top. Patrick didn’t say anything. Instead, he ran his hand down the lacy fabric and stared at it. I grabbed the lid to put it back on, but he pushed it away.
“You would have looked beautiful in this.” He looked over at me. “I didn’t know that you had bought a dress.”
“What, did you expect me to wear, jean shorts and a tank top?”
He smiled. “I guess not.” He moved his hand off the dress. “You’re giving it away?”
“What else would I do with a wedding dress?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize anymore. You were right. I didn’t pay enough attention to you. I was always beat from work. I blamed you, but it was my fault too. I never said I was sorry. But I am. I’m sorry too.”
“I took you for granted.”
“I let you.”
He nodded and put his hand on my knee. “Whenever you walk down the aisle, make sure it’s a guy that’s worth it. Someone better than me. You deserve the best, Bee.” He didn’t say it, but he meant a guy that wasn’t Mason.
“Thanks, Patrick.”
He stood up and put his hand out for me. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. He pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. I breathed in his familiar scent. His hug was comforting. I finally felt at peace with what had happened between us. I thought I had gotten all the closure I needed at the gala. But apologizing to him was what I had really needed.
“Losing you is the biggest regret of my life.” He lightly kissed my forehead. “If you ever decide you’re willing to give me a second chance, I still want it.”
I took a deep breath, letting the scent of him linger around me for a second longer. I knew what he had just said, but I think we both knew this was the last time we were ever going to be together. I let go of his back and he released me from his hug.
“I still have your number.” I smiled at him.
He grabbed the scrapbook off the bed and walked over to the door. I thought he was going to leave without looking back, but he turned around before closing the door. “And my shirt.”
I hadn’t realized it, but I was still holding it in my hand.
“Bye, Bee.”
“Bye, Patrick.”
Tears prickled my eyes when he closed the door. I took a deep breath. That was it. We were done. I tossed his shirt down on my bed. That was the only thing I’d keep. Because it was more than just a memory of him. It had been there for me when he hadn’t been.
Chapter Sixty
Mason
I placed the last box in the truck I had rented and pulled down the door, locking it in place. I thought Bee would be devastated when she got fired. Especially since she thought she was going to get a promotion. And I had let her believe she was getting it when I knew the company she worked for was folding. It felt like our relationship was a ticking time bomb that was quickly approaching zero. Me stealing clients from her former company wasn’t a big deal. I wasn’t sure why I ever thought that it would be. She’d probably be happy to screw over her pervert of a boss. She hadn’t told me exactly what happened today, but she hadn’t mentioned anything about Kruger going bankrupt. It seemed like her boss had tried to pull something on her. And it made my blood boil. I wanted to beat the shit out of him.
I shook my head. Like I could protect her? I was the one that had screwed her over. I had stolen her advertising idea for Sword Body Wash. Which in itself didn’t matter. Except that I got the account. John Landry had called me this afternoon and said that they liked my pitch the best. Bee’s pitch. She had lost her job and I had just gotten enough money to keep my apartment without my dad’s help. She was going to hate me.
It was like I could hear the clock ticking down to our demise. I should just tell her right away and apologize. It was an accident. I just said the first thing that popped in my head. But I had read her notebook without her permission. I ran my hand down my face. Fuck. I couldn’t talk my way out of this one. I had already gone over every possibility in my head. Each choice ended up with her leaving. And she couldn’t leave.
