Page 55 of Play the Field

With a sigh, Cat shrugged. “I don’t know.”

I scoffed. “So you’ve known about this for a few days at least, and you haven’t figured out how you feel about it?”

“Kind of.” From across the room, I could see her jaw tighten. “It’s kind of a decision we both have to make, no?”

“That feels like a cop-out.” I crossed my arms. I knew it was a combative move, but I couldn’t stop myself. Everything in my body told me to protect myself. This was charted territory and the map didn’t look too good.

Cat shook her head. “How could that be true?” After waiting for me to answer her, Cat continued, “I was willing to work on this. You were the one who walked away last time.”

Groaning, I rolled my eyes. “That is such an oversimplification and you know it.”

“How?” She quipped.

“Because you didn’t make any time to visit me. You were on the road all the time and you never answered my texts or calls. You had an ego the size of fucking Mars.” Shaking my head, I met her green eyes. “You quit on me and waited for me to do your dirty work.”

Cat bit her lip, her face turning to a scowl. “Bullshit. You refused to come on the road. My career was taking off and you were jealous that I didn’t get roped back into New Winford’s orbit.”

My jaw dropped. “God forbid I helped my mom with the store after my dad…”

Raising a hand, Cat shook her head. “Pause. That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Do you want to clarify?”Assholewas how I wanted to end that sentence. But I decided to ignore the twenty-five-year-old, hurt Cleo begging me to blow this up.

“I’m saying, there were options to hire help and to take time off, that you didn’t take. I know that taking the store was always going to be your priority and I respect that.” She met my eyes, not backing down from this fight.

There was a pause, silence settling over my apartment. Once again, I was thankful that I didn’t have neighbors.

Shaking her head, Cat looked at her feet. “But I told you what I needed to feel invested in coming back here. And you refused to meet me halfway.”

“So why didn’t you end it yourself?” I swallowed hard. It was a question I’d asked myself for years as I tried to figure out where we went wrong. But if we had any hope of doing things differently this time, I needed to know.

Cat lifted her chin, meeting my gaze again. “Because you were always my person and I didn’t want to quit on you. I wasn’t ready to walk away.”

Before I could think about it for too long, I clenched my jaw. “And this time you are going to walk away?”

“Did I say that?” Cat stood up straight, taking her weight off of the counter behind her back, and walked closer.

“Tommy seems to think so.” I crossed my arms. The last thing I wanted to do was give up my control, but I felt myself desperate to melt in Cat’s green eyes.

Laughing, Cat shook her head. “What if I did want this? What if I was willing to put in the effort to try again, to prove to you that I was never going to leave you? Then what?”

She was saying everything I’d been dreaming of hearing.Can I trust that it’s real?

“I don’t know.” Biting my lip, I looked down at my feet. “I don’t know if I would ever believe you.”

Letting out a sigh, Cat nodded. “Do you want some space?” She’d lowered her voice, trying to be as gentle as possible

“I just need to go for a walk. Is that okay?”

“Of course it is. Do you want me to stay until you get back?” I heard Cat swallow hard, nervous that this would be the last time she saw me. And I couldn’t say I blamed her. I hadn’t been the most committed person since she’d come back to New Winford.

But I nodded. “You can stay. I’ll just be right back.”

Heading for the door, I reached my hand out to hers and gave it a squeeze. I didn’t want to leave her feeling like I was completely out, because I really wasn’t. Grabbing a green, bomber jacket from the front door, I slid my keys into my pocket and walked out.

When I pushed open the metal downstairs door, a cold gust smacked my face. The fall was making itself known now, no longer hesitant to cool the world off. I started my walk down Main Street, tucking my hands in the jacket’s pockets.

As I walked, my mind swirled with possibilities. There was a world in which I couldn’t believe a word out of Catherine’s mouth. But I knew that would be indulging my most pessimistic impulse.

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