Page 48 of Breakaway

“What happened after?” Angie asks, gently nudging me to continue.

“Travis called me and then sent me a text, and Roman saw it because I asked him to give me my phone. He said kissing me was a mistake.”

“But why was Travis calling you? I thought you were trying to keep your distance from him.”

“I am, but he’s not making it easy,” I snort bitterly. I explain everything about Discovery Park and what happened after Roman read Travis’s text. “I don’t know what to do, Angie.”

“You like Roman,” she states matter-of-factly. “I knew that long before you broke up with Travis. Just seeing how defensive you would get when I asked about him, I decided to leave it alone, even if I saw how you looked at him. That attraction was always there. I’m not surprised it’s only grown stronger.”

“I want this man to be mine,” I confess, my eyes watering. “Not temporarily. Not because of our stupid Vegas wedding. I just want him.”

“I know, Nev.”

“I tried telling him that Travis is my past, and?—”

“Roman thinks you’re still not over your ex. Drake told me that last night.”

A harsh laugh bolts out of my mouth, and I shake my head. “Of course he does. And that text only proved his theory.”

“You need to say no to Travis. Make sure he understands that this wasn’t a break, but an actual breakup.”

“I know. I just feel so bad. Leaving him after I found out he was going to propose was cruel. And I can’t even imagine how hurt he’ll be if he finds out about me and Roman. About our marriage.”

“So you’re ready to deprive yourself of a chance at a real relationship with the guy you like so you don’t hurt the guy you feel nothing for?” Angie exclaims. “Sorry, Nev, but it’s not right. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, remember? And you don’t need to tell Travis about Vegas. Just set boundaries.”

“I will. Today.”

“Good, it’s for the best,” Angie says softly. The sound of a dog’s paws slapping the tile reaches my ears. “When are you meeting him?”

I take my phone away from my ear and check the time. “In twenty minutes.”

“Good luck, Nev. Call me later.”

“Sure. Bye, Angie. Love you.”

“Love you too, bye.”

Pocketing my phone, I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and lift my face to the sun. The air is humid, and the wind is nonexistent. It feels heavy, just like my mood. Succumbing to my negative thoughts won’t bring me anything good. It will only make things worse. No matter what, I don’t want to hurt Travis more than I already have.

Choosing the right words is my specialty, and I can only hope it won’t fail me today.

“Hey, Nev.”Travis waves at me, coming closer and letting Happy off his leash. The dog rushes toward me, barking loudly in excitement. His tiny tail wags fast, and when he stops in front of me, he starts jumping around.

I smile, crouching down and letting Happy jump into my arms. Closing my eyes, I press the little dog to my chest and hide my nose in his sand-colored fur. The feeling of loneliness slams into me, spreading from my head to my toes. I miss Happy so much. I wish I could’ve taken him with me.

“Looks like I was right,” Travis says, and I look up, meeting his gaze. “You two miss each other.”

“Of course we do.” I give the dog another squeeze, then slowly set him down and stand up. Trav instantly steps closer and wraps me in an embrace, kissing my cheek. I don’t return the hug. My arms just dangle at my sides.

“I’m so happy to see you,” he whispers.

I untangle myself from Travis and back away. The smile on my face is a carefully curated mask. I have no right to be angry with him for how last night ended. If I hadn’t agreed to go to the park with him in the first place, that wouldn’t have happened. But I’m still a little pissed off that he hasn’t even tried to move on and forget about me. Or maybe a lot pissed off. Seeing Travis forces all the emotions I’ve been keeping at bay to the surface, and it’s just a matter of time before they spill out.

“How are you, Nev?” Travis asks, his eyes traveling around my face and down my body.

“I’m fine.” With a shrug, I wheel around and head further into the park. I’m acting like a bitch, but I don’t know how elseto get my point across. We are done. The only reason I’m here is Happy.

“Nev, is everything alright?” Travis falls into step beside me, trying to meet my eyes.

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