Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Are you sure?” Maya asks. “I mean, sometimes the kindest thing you can do for the person you love is to keep a secret. If the truth is only going to bring them pain, is burdening them with it really the best choice?”
“I don’t know.” I swipe at my eyes. “When I was thinking about it before, I thought I could keep it to myself, but now… I just feel so terrible. And sad. And certain I made the wrong call. But he’s so upset right now, I don’t want to do anything to make it worse.”
“I get it,” she says. “But I’m guessing this man loves you, too, right?”
My chest aches at the memory of everything that happened this afternoon. “Yeah,” I whisper. “We just said it for the first time. Like…today. But we’ve both been feeling it for a while. It’s so good, Maya. I’ve never felt so at home with a guy or so cared for. He makes me feel like I’m the thing that matters most to him in the whole world. And now…” I blink faster. “The thought of losing him feels like dying.”
Maya makes a sympathetic sound. “I get it. I really do. But love, real love, isn’t that easy to destroy, honey.”
I sniff. “Not even if it’s still pretty new?”
“No,” Maya says, without a beat of hesitation. “Look at me and Anthony. We were only together a week before I found out he was lying to me about some pretty serious stuff. But we talked it through and found a way to move forward. We both knew, even at the very beginning, that this was too special to give up on it without a fight.”
But how do you fight for someone when you’re the one who created the distance between you in the first place? How can I explain choosing Margaret over Hunter when he’s the one I owed loyalty, no matter how impossible the choice felt at the time?
My lips part, but before I can speak, my phone buzzes with an incoming text.
Heart leaping, I pull my cell back to read the message.
It’s Hunter—Just got cleared to see Mom. Going in alone. Don’t worry about tea for me.
Shit. I shouldn’t have taken so long. I should have made sure I was there for him when they cleared him to see Margaret. I’m fucking things up left and right today, with no end in sight.
“Elaina?” Maya prompts after a beat. “You still there?”
I put the phone to my ear again. “Yeah, sorry. I just got a text from the guy.” My cell buzzes again and I tell Maya, “Just a second. There’s another one. Be right back.”
I glance down to see another terse message from the man I love—Katie’s going home. You should, too. I’ll call you later.
My already plummeting stomach crashes through the patio, landing somewhere in the lower levels of the hospital beneath.
“Maya?” My voice wavers as I hunch lower on my hard brick bench. “I think I really screwed up. He’s already pulling away, and he has no idea I’m a liar.”
“You’re not a liar,” Maya says. “It sounds like you were put in a very difficult, if not impossible, position. Just give him time, support him as best you can, and when the time is right to either fess up or let it go, you’ll know. You have excellent instincts and the best people skills of anyone I’ve ever met.”
I bite my lip as I nod, praying she’s right. “Okay. Thank you. I appreciate the advice.”
“Of course,” Maya says. “Call any time. I’m here for you always. And if this guy needs a character reference, give him my number. I might not be as good with strangers as you are, but I’m always happy to brag on my best girl.”
I wince at the reminder that I’m lying to Maya, too.
I need to come clean, with everyone, but I can’t. Not yet. “Thank you, Maya Moo. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she says. “Hang in there and talk soon, okay?”
I end the call and stare at Hunter’s messages again. Yes, they’re pithy and lacking the warmth I’ve grown accustomed to lately, but his mother is fighting for her life in the ICU. He’s a little fucking distracted. It would be stupid to read too much into anything he does right now. He’s worried sick and focused on Margaret, as he should be.
So why does this feel like the beginning of the end?
Taking a deep breath, I reply to his text—Are you sure? I’m happy to stay. I can just sit in the waiting room and stay out of the way until you need me.
The three dots appear, disappear, appear again. And then, finally, his reply pops through—I’d rather be alone right now. But thank you. Talk later.
I like the message, then send a quick—Okay. Love you. Sending you and Margaret all the best vibes.