Page 119 of Sweet Madness

This wasn’t a life. It was dark, lonely, and so fucking painful.

I knew I had to make things right. More than anything, I needed to see my girl smile with her heart again, to hold her close and remind her how much I still loved her.

With a sigh, I set the tablet aside, determination settling in my heart. I rose from the bed, the towel dropping to the floor as I moved with a purpose that had been missing since she left. I navigated through the room, my footsteps quiet against the wooden floorboards.

I quickly searched the closet for what I needed. In the corner, a small black leather bag rested atop a trunk. I grabbed it and went to work on packing everything I needed.

As I packed, my thoughts continued to drift to Ella—her smile, her laughter, the way her blue eyes sparkled with passion and love when she spoke about her own pink planet. It filled me with so much joy for her. She found her purpose, and now I’m going after mine.

I couldn’t bear the thought of another night on this ranch without her, of being separated from the light of my life.

Out of nowhere, Arianna’s words replay in my mind.

“Give my girl a scene straight out of those romance novels she and my sister loved so much.”

Determined to do just that, I walk back to the closet and grab the only suit I own. Once the bag is packed, I swing it over my shoulder and hurry out of the room.

As I step into the cool night air, I manage to take a deep breath. The stars twinkle overhead, guiding my path as I make my way toward the truck. The engine roars to life as I settle into the driver’s seat, the rumble echoing in the night. Looking through the rearview mirror at the ranch house, I hope that when I come back, it will be with her to stay forever.

Yesterday, the thought of Ella not sharing her life with me cut me deep, but now, after seeing her beautiful smile as she spoke of her accomplishment, the thought of a life without her kills me inside.

I was a fucking fool, but that shit ends now.

I’m getting my girl. I just hope she finds it in her heart to forgive me and allow me to mend the broken pieces of her heart.

But first... I have two stops to make.

Space Note

“Hey, Shaw, we’re all made of stars. Just over 90% of the human bodies were formed in stars over the course of billions of years and the lifetimes of many different stars.” — E

Chapter

Thirty-Five

COWBOY IN PARIS

Ella

“There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t miss your smile.” — E

The grand opening of Cosmic Chapters, my pink planetarium-slash-bookstore in Paris, was supposed to be one of the happiest nights of my life. It was the culmination of my dreams and a celebration of my love for astronomy and reading. Yet, I found it hard to breathe and keep a straight face. All I wanted to do was hide somewhere and cry.

That’s all I’ve been doing these past few months. During the day, I worked hard on my studies and on this dream place I’ve created, but at night... At night, I looked out the window toward the sky and cried silently for the life I miss more than anything.

I cry for the man who haunts my dreams.

I haven’t detached from life or my family, but at times it’s hard to pretend like my heart isn’t broken because it is, and it won’t ever be the same.

At first, I held on to hope that Shaw would pull his head out of his ass and realize that my place was with him in Canyon Creek. My happiness was there.

But as days turned into weeks and then months, that hope slowly died, along with all the dreams I had of a life with him.

I should be happy. I’ve been doing great at university, and this night has finally come. I created a magical space where boys and girls who love both the wonders of the sky and fictional worlds can come and experience the universe while losing themselves in a good book. There’s even a book-themed bakery inside the building for visitors to grab something sweet while they’re here.

It’s perfect.

My entire family helped, so this isn’t just my accomplishment but theirs as well.

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