Page 81 of Meet Me in Berlin

She waves the nail file. ‘Oh, no. They hit the back passenger door. He was just in shock and hit his head and the seatbelt cut across his neck. He’s home now.’

I stiffen. ‘He’s out and he’s okay?’

‘Yes.’

‘When did he go home?’

She shrugs. ‘A few hours ago.’

‘Eva, I asked you to let me know if anything changed. I raced back here and he’s fine? Why didn’t you tell me?’

She drops her foot to the carpet, her brows pulling together in an angry frown. ‘I had a lot on my mind, and you were coming home anyway. Besides, you were on the plane before I knew he was getting out of hospital.’

‘But you must’ve known last night or this morning it wasn’t that serious. You could’ve told me that at least.’ I release a frustrated huff. ‘And I wasn’t coming home anyway. Josanne expected me to stay a couple days after the exhibition. Felix is alone again this week – he needed help.’

‘Well, it was an emergency, and I needed you more.’

‘It wasn’t though, was it?’ I say, my tone harsh.

She flinches. ‘Okay. Sorry for wanting my fiancée back.’ She pouts and slides over to me, leaning forward to reach my mouth. ‘I missed you.’

I jerk my head back. ‘Don’t.’

Confusion settles in her green eyes. ‘Don’t what? Kiss my fiancée, who I haven’t seen for a week?’

I sigh heavily. This is it. ‘We need to talk.’

Her eyes widen. ‘Talk?’

I clear my throat, try to ignore the nerves firing in my stomach. ‘I wanted to talk to you while I was away. Remember on Saturday when you called me, I said I wanted to tell you something, then you rushed off to speak to Dante?’

She shakes her head. ‘No. I don’t remember you saying that.’

‘Well, I did. I also tried calling Sunday and Monday and you replied you were too busy, and I called you yesterday specifically asking you to call me back, and you didn’t.’

Her face hardens. ‘Sorry, but between organising our wedding and my job, I’ve been flat out. Then I had to rush to the hospital. You’re not the only one who has a busy life, you know.’

‘I know that, Eva, but you could’ve at least taken my call – or returned one.’

She folds her arms. ‘Well. We’re talking now, so out with it.’

I lean forward and place my elbows on my knees, my gut twisting. The afternoon news begins on TV and I glance up, suddenly interested in what’s happening in the world, but the screen blacks out and Eva drops the remote on the coffee table. I take a deep breath and face her. ‘I’m sorry, Eva, but I can’t do this.’

Her eyes turn icy. ‘What’s this exactly?’

I pick at a bit of dry skin near my thumbnail. ‘Us. Marriage. I can’t do it.’

She scoffs. ‘You’re not serious?’

I meet her gaze; it’s turned from icy to burning and brutal. ‘It’s taken me a while to?—’

She holds up a hand. ‘Last week we were getting married and now you’re finishing with me? You’re finishing with me?’ She points to herself as though I need a reminder of exactly who it is I’m dumping.

I mutter a pathetic, ‘Sorry.’

‘Why?’

I fiddle with my watch strap – unclasp, clasp, unclasp. ‘I’ve been unhappy for a while. And the wedding…’ I shake my head. ‘It’s too much.’

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