Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 74022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
He stares at me, almost deflated in his appearance. “Never intended on fuckin’ hurtin’ anyone, you gotta know that.”
“I know that, and so does Chantelle, but you hurt her tonight and right now, I feel more for her than anyone. She cares about you, a great deal. And so do I. Which means, eventually, one of us is going to hurt. Either make it quick and easy by picking one, or let us both go completely by picking neither. But, you have to choose. Because it’s unfair. It’s completely unfair.”
He rubs a hand down his face, and growls, “I fuckin’ know it is. Fuck!”
His voice is agitated and frustrated, and I understand that. But nobody is coming out of this unscathed, so he needs to choose which one of us he leaves a mark on. Either way, eventually, his heart will pull him where he needs it to go. But by then, too much damage will have been done. So, for right now, he has to man up and make a choice.
“Know that we’ll both be okay, no matter which way it goes. Chantelle is strong. I’m strong. If you pick her, I’ll get over it, honestly, I will. I’m not going to say it’s not going to hurt, because it will, a hell of a lot, but I’ll get through it because I’m strong, and so is she. If you choose neither of us, we’ll both be okay, too. But you owe us both an answer.”
“How the fuck am I meant to choose? I choose one, I lose the other. Can’t fuckin’ be friends with the one left behind, you and I both know that. If I choose neither of you, I’ll lose both, and that fuckin’ terrifies me. I’m fucked.”
I nod. “Yeah, one way or another, one of us will take a giant step out of your life, or both of us, but that’s the outcome of such a situation and unfortunately there is no other way around it. Maybe, after a while, you’ll be able to be friends with one or both of us, but that can’t be guaranteed. When you make your choice, it has to be knowing you might lose one or both.”
He makes a low sound and runs his hand through his hair. “Fuck.”
“I’m sorry it has come to this, I myself really wished it hadn’t, but it has.”
I walk over, stopping in front of him and glancing up. “You’re a good man, Boston, the best. We wouldn’t care so much if you weren’t, but we deserve the right to not have to struggle. Chantelle is an incredible woman, and so am I. We’ll both move on, if we have to. The question is, who can you deal with being with someone else? Maybe you need to consider that, long and hard. When you think of us with another man, which one hurts more?”
He stares at me. “Can’t fuckin’ answer these questions, my mind is a fuckin’ mess right now.”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I know.”
I lean up on my tiptoes and grab his face in my hands, then I bring my lips to his and kiss him, soft at first, then long and slow. After a few moments, I pull back and hold his eyes. “Make your choice, Boston. For everyone’s sake.”
Then I too turn and walk away.
The time has come.
This has gone on long enough.
~*~*~*~
NOW – PENELOPE
I knock once, softly, then twice.
I don’t want to disturb her if she’s asleep, but, I don’t know, I felt like I needed to come here. Mostly because it really did hurt watching how upset she got, and I don’t want anyone to be upset over something that has everything to do with me. Maybe I’m not causing it, but my involvement in it doesn’t help, and I need to make sure she’s okay.
The door opens, and Chantelle appears, wearing her pajamas, her beautiful long hair down and flowing around her shoulders. She’s gorgeous, but it isn’t just that. She radiates a strong, independent vibe. She’s sassy, and she’s secure, and she lights up a room when she’s in it with her infectious laugh. There are very few people like that out there.
It’s no wonder Boston is drawn to her. Honestly, I can see why.
“Penny,” she says, her voice soft. It’s the softest I’ve ever heard her speak. She’s been crying, I can see her eyes are red, and that sucks. It really sucks.
Saskia came outside and asked me where Chantelle had gone before I left the bar. I didn’t tell her, not because I didn’t want to, but because I wanted to come myself and see if she was okay, and I wasn’t sure Chantelle would want her to know what happened out there. I figured if she did, she’d call her, it wasn’t up to me to tell her.