Page 107 of Obsessed with the Heartbreaker

But of course it couldn’t last forever.

Someone cleared their throat.

“I, uh…I think we should perhaps move to the living room? Give these two some time to talk?”

That was definitely my mother, who sounded so absolutely delighted that I just knew we would havewordsafter this.

Henry pushed away from the table, chair sliding over the tiles. “We’ll go to my room.”

Connell choked, his wife handing him his glass of wine and drawing circles on his back with her hand as she too, smiled to herself.

I followed Henry upstairs because I just couldn’tnot.

This was it.

I was going to tell him.

Chapter 36

Henry

Don’t get too excited.

Stop getting ahead of yourself.

Maybe Antony’s words didn’t mean what I thought they meant. Maybe they were only said as a way to honor our pastfriendship,a last goodbye before he told me it was better if we went our separate ways.

No.

I prayed to any god who would listen topleasenot let it be the case.

I prayed I hadn’t misread the emotion behind his green, green eyes.

Antony closed the door to my bedroom behind himself, leaning back against it.

None of us said anything.

Steeling myself, I said, “I think I owe you an apology.”

“You?” His dark brows furrowed. “Why would you owe me anything?”

“Because of how I reacted?” I asked, emotion building inside me. “Because I never let you explain yourself? Because I was an asshole and I wanted to be blind to the situation and then smashed it with a hammer when I got scared? The list goes on.”

A small, trembling smile appeared on his face. “I might let you continue listing your faults. Many would agree the Heartbreaker needs some humbling.”

His light tone made my chest feel light, hopeful again. “I’ll humble myself all you want. Just—let me say something first.”

Walking up to him, I stopped a few inches away, close enough that I could easily reach out to him and touch, but I didn’t. Not yet.

“I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for stopping our friendship so abruptly. For running away instead of talking to you. And I’m sorry for…” I had to take in a deep ragged breath before continuing. “I’m sorry for not having been brave enough to tell you that I’ve beenpiningfor you for three years. That I’m in love with you and I hurt you because I was afraid of you hurting me and rejecting me forever.”

Antony’s eyes were shining with unshed tears, and he took hold of the front of my shirt, bunching it between his fingers. “You’re in love with me?”

“Iam.” Putting my hand on top of his and squeezing it, I said. “I’m in love, I’m obsessed and I have been ever since we were introduced. Ever since you ruined my every plan to hate you and humble you, the perfect guy who represented everything I should have been but would never be, and instead you became the most important person to me. The only one who saw me for me, never demanding anything in return. You were never just my friend, Antony, you wereeverything.”

Antony’s breathing hitched when I said that, his lower lip trembling, and because I couldn’t take it, I just reached out to him and hugged him. His hands were immediately around me, crashing me against his chest, fitting his head on the crook of my neck, and squeezing me like he thought I was going to disappear.

“I love you, too and I’ve been sick with wanting you for years. I didn’t even know what to call it when you kissed me, but I knew I’d never felt like this about anyone before.”

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