Page 75 of Silver Lining Love

“Did you have fun at the party?” I asked as he sat down.

“I did. You were a hit.”

“Me?” I lifted my hand to my chest.

“Yep. You got the stamp of approval from my sister and all my brothers and their wives. My brother JJ even told me not to fuck this up.”

Hearing that felt like a punch to my gut.He wasn’t going to fuck this up, but I was.

Wyatt must have noticed my reaction because he assured me. “I’m not going to. You know that, right? I’m not going to fuck this up.”

“I know.” I felt like I was going to throw up, and I put my hand over my stomach.

“Whitney?”

The concern in his tone wasn’t helping me get out what I needed to say. I figured it would be better just to rip the Band-Aid off.

“Um, we need to talk.”

“Are you about to tell me it’s not me it’s you?” he teased with a grin.

I bit the inside of my lip, and his smile fell.

“Oh shit. Is that actually what you’re going to tell me?”

I swallowed over the knot that started in my stomach, ran through my chest, and was lodged firmly in my throat. “Yes… I mean, no. I mean, yes, but not like that.”

“Whitney whatever I did I’m sorr?—”

“You didn’t do anything,” I cut off his apology. “I mean, you’ve done a lot of things, but they’ve all been perfect and amazing. That’s not why…”

I started to feel like I couldn’t breathe and for the first time in months I had to use my breathing technique. I closed my eyes and tried not to hyperventilate.

One, two, three, four,I counted as I inhaled.

One, two, three, four,I counted as I exhaled.

After several breaths, I opened my eyes and found Wyatt staring at me with fear brimming in his gorgeous brown eyes.

“I need to talk to you, but I want you to promise me that you won’t interrupt me. I don’t think I can get it out if you do.”

He didn’t respond, just continued staring at me.

“Okay?” I asked.

“Oh, yeah, I thought you already started.”

I let out a small laugh. I loved that about Wyatt, it didn’t matter if the situation we were in was upsetting, tense, or even sexually charged, he could always make me laugh.

I licked my lips and sat up straighter. “I have really loved being here. More than I could have ever dreamed of. I thought places like this, like Stars Hollow, only existed in TV Land.”

His brow furrowed.

“Gilmore Girls,” I explained the reference and took another breath to continue. “The past few days, I’ve felt…different. I don’t know how to explain it, but there’s just something about this town and the people that are…healing. And the kids love it to?—"

“Whitney—" Wyatt started to interrupt.

“Please!” I lifted my hand as moisture filled the bottom of my eyelids. “Please just let me finish.”

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