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The despair in his heart at the thought of breaking it off with Eloise overwhelmed him. Shane’s legs gave way beneath him and he crumpled to the floor. He could feel a sob making its way through his body, but he held it in. He’d brought this on himself. He’d given Madeline everything she needed to manipulate him into giving her everything she’d ever wanted. He wouldn’t be surprised if he found out that she’d been planning something like this since the moment the lawyers read their grandfather’s will.
He scooted backward until he rested against the wall. His head thunked helplessly there, and he shut his eyes as if doing so would erase everything that had just happened.
Like Madeline said. To fight would be to ensure the destruction of the people he cared about. He couldn’t do anything to her. There was no time to find an alternative route. He’d lost.
Shane lost track of how long he sat there on the floor like the fool he was. Thankfully he didn’t have any meetings that day, nor did anyone stop by his office. The longer he tried to put off talking to Eloise, the harder it got.
His heart wheezed, unwilling to do the work necessary to get up off the floor. To top it off, at some point he’d gotten a migraine.
Shane couldn’t break up with Eloise over the phone, but he also couldn’t bring himself to go see her. He knew he’d lose his nerve. Each minute that ticked by was pure torture.
When he could finally think clearly, he pulled out his phone and stared at it.
Impossible.
He couldn’t break up with her in person. He’d lose his nerve and tell her he loved her. She’d try to get to the bottom of what he was going through, and that’d put her in danger.
Shane had to become the bad guy so that she would stay safe.
He opened up the last text message he’d sent her. Just thinking about doing this over a message made him feel like he was going to lose the contents of his stomach. Painstakingly, he typed out the only thing he could think of to say that would make him look and sound like the jerk that he was without causing her additional grief.
I have a confession.I’ve not been honest with you. This isn’t your fault, it’s mine. It’s time I’m honest with myself and come forward. We need to break up. There are several reasons, but the most important one is that I’m not in love with you anymore. I wish you the best.
It wasthe longest text message he had ever written, and it still didn’t feel right. Of course it didn’t feel right; he’d done the one thing his body revolted against. He’d made the ultimate sacrifice.
He’d lost Eloise.
22
Eloise
Eloise stared at the message on her screen. She blinked, thinking it would magically disappear or maybe she’d wake up to the sunlight coming in from the windows. It didn’t matter how many times she closed the app and then opened it. Nor did it matter how many times she shut her eyes and then opened them. She’d read the same thing again and again.
Shane had broken up with her.
Over text.
She couldn’t believe this. It wasn’t possible. This had to be a joke. He was messing with her.
Except Shane wasn’t a jokester. In all the time she had known him, he didn’t prank her or make fun. He was serious—almost too serious. The most laidback she’d seen him be was the time he took her on that date to Texas.
The breeze ruffled her hair, and the sound of birds chirping did nothing to ease the ache she felt as she sat on the back porch steps of her home. Thankfully, no one was home. Everyone had something to do or somewhere better to be. She was alone.
Only now, she felt even more alone than ever.
A hot, fat tear rolled down her cheek and she brushed it away as quick as she could. The last thing she needed was for anyone to notice that she wasn’t doing great.
That was the understatement of the year.
Hadn’t she just realized she loved him? Hadn’t she just told herself to let go and allow her heart to open for him? What was she supposed to do now?
Another tear skidded down her cheek and this time followed the curve until it seeped between the corners of her lips. The salt seeped onto her tongue, causing an almost bitter taste.
“Eloise?”
She jumped, clicking the button on her phone to turn it off before looking up and finding Brielle standing over her.
Brielle frowned. “What happened?”
