Page 228 of My Rules

Oh my god.

He’ll come back; he wouldn’t leave me here.

He’ll come back when he cools down.

The scent of the roses is strong through the cabin. I open the fridge to see chocolate-coated strawberries and a bottle of champagne and two crystal flutes. I look around the cabin to see it covered in Blake’s love, and my heart hurts.

I don’t deserve him.

The lump in my throat is so big it’s nearly cutting off my air, and I wish it would because I deserve to suffocate in this guilt.

He hasn’t been lying. He was trying to surprise me, and all I’ve done is be a selfish cow.

I dial his number again with renewed purpose. “Blake. Please pick up. I need you to come back,” I whisper through panic. “I’m sorry. I need you to come back. Please forgive me. I did not handle that well, and I need you to come back.”

I hang up and begin to pace.

Please come back, baby. Please come back ...

Thirty-five phone calls and two hours later, I hear a car pull into the gravel driveway.

He’s here.

I run to the front door and open it, and my face drops when I see Juliet and Henley.

“Where’s Blake?”

I look around for his car. Is he coming too?

Juliet gets out of the car, and her face falls when she sees my tearstained cheeks.

“Blake called us to come and get you,” she says softly.

My heart drops. “He’s not coming back?”

“No, Bec,” she says sadly.

I screw up my face in tears, and she pulls me into her arms. I cry into her hug.

“I didn’t know,” I cry. “He didn’t tell me.”

Henley walks past us into the house. He doesn’t say anything to me, and he doesn’t have to. It’s obvious he’s pissed.

I can feel his thermonuclear anger radiating out of him.

Juliet pulls me into the house and gasps as she looks around at the roses and the Marry Me sign. Her face screws up in tears too. “Poor Blake,” she whispers.

“Let’s go,” Henley snaps as he looks around. “This place is fucking depressing.”

Juliet picks up the ring box from the table and opens it up. Her mouth drops open. “Oh my god,” she whispers.

I go to take the ring off her, and Henley snatches it out of my hands. “I’ll keep this safe.”

My eyes search his.

“I believe you said no,” he snaps as he puts the ring in his pocket.

My heart dies a little. He told Henley I said no ...

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