Page 262 of My Rules

I get it.

If I’m being honest, I respect it. He’s Blake’s friend.

“Nearly packed?” he says.

“Yeah, just winding up the last of it now. It’s such a big job to pack up a house.”

“I dread moving. Not that I ever will, I hope.”

I smile as I look out over the street.

We sit in silence for a while, and I just can’t hold it in. I have to ask. “How’s Blake?”

“He’s good.”

“I’m happy for him.” I smile sadly. “I want him to be happy.”

“Yeah, well ...” He frowns. “I have a sneaking suspicion that he’ll be back for you.”

I frown. “What makes you say that?”

He smiles wistfully as he looks out over the street. “Blake has been in love with you from the moment he laid eyes on you, Rebecca.”

I get a lump in my throat.

“Not because he didn’t know what other women were like. He had plenty of women chasing him.”

I smile as I look at the ground. Isn’t that the truth?

“The thing is with Blake, he was so in love with you that ... he was too blinded by his own feelings to gauge where you were at.”

What?

My eyes search his.

“You know, when you’re besotted with someone for so long and you haven’t been in a serious relationship before, I imagine that it’s easy to do. He backed you into a corner where you felt the only way out was rejection. He rushed you into something you weren’t ready for.”

Oh . . .

“Our demise wasn’t his fault; it was mine,” I whisper.

“He needed to get some perspective.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just saying, you two were always going to break up. You were just out of a relationship, and this was his first real one. Not to mention he was head over heels in love with you in an almost—”

I cut him off. “Well, I’ve lost him now. So I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“He’ll be back for you. Mark my words.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know Blake, and you weren’t a flash in the pan for him. You were his grand love, and I know in my heart that one day he will come back.”

“Well, he might be too late by then.” I act tough. My eyes click over to him. “Wait, why? Did he say anything?”

Henley gives me a broad smile. “No.”

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