Page 119 of Finding Jess

Everything had finally been laid out for both of them to see. Feelings she didn’t even know still existed within her.

And now, there was just—nothing.

She stumbled back a step, dropping onto the bench.

She waited for the thoughts to come racing through—to drown her beneath the waves of guilt from being the cause of Jess’ pain.

But—they didn’t.

Nothing came.

And maybe that’s what she had really needed. Because even if those words hurt to say, it was the truth. No matter how much it hurt both of them, maybe all that time, they’d been waiting to come out.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, mind blank, as she stared out into the parking lot.

But eventually, the door opened again.

She looked up and saw Scarlett peering back.

Sam blinked, instantly forcing a painful smile on her lips. “Hey,” she said, clearing her throat as she tried to hide the anguish in her voice. Because no matter what, she couldn’t let any of what happened take away from Scarlett’s happiness. “What’re you doing out here?”

Scarlett gave her a grim look as she walked toward her. She sat down beside her on the bench, and Sam knew then that she’d failed.

“So,” she said in a low, calm voice, “London?”

Sam sighed, leaning forward to rest her elbows against her thighs. She ran both hands over her face, pressing her palms into her tired eyes.

“Yeah,” she breathed. And she didn’t know why, but she needed Scarlett to understand. “I didn’t know,” she whispered, her voice shaking slightly. “I just found out this morning.”

“If I—” Sam continued, her voice cracking. “If I had known, I never would’ve—”

And that’s when she broke.

Everything she’d held back, everything she’d held together as she’d spoken with Jess, came rushing to the surface.

The burning in her eyes became unbearable, and she blinked away the foggy wetness that came with it.

She sucked in a sharp breath, her chest trembling as the pain radiated within her. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen tonight.”

“I know,” Scarlett sighed, her voice tender and soothing. “I know. It’s okay.”

Scarlett’s hand ran up and down her back in a soothing motion as Sam failed to keep the tears from falling.

She took a shaky breath, wiping a palm against her cheeks.

“Do you want to go?” Scarlett asked quietly.

“It’s part of the deal,” Sam rasped, straightening up as she leaned back.

“Yeah. But do youwantto go?”

Sam shook her head in frustration. “It doesn’t matter what I want. That’s how it has to go. I can’t give this up. This is what I’ve been working for—this is what I’ve giveneverythingfor.”

Scarlett took a slow breath, her eyes heavy with understanding. “You gave everything to build something incredible. But that doesn’t mean you have to lose yourself in the process.”

Sam clenched her jaw, irritation swirling in her gut. She wasn’t in the mood for platitudes, not now. Not after everything with Jess, not with the weight of London hanging over her like a storm she couldn’t outrun.

Scarlett’s hand remained on her shoulder. “You keep talking like this is all there is,” she said softly. “Like this deal, this move—it’s the only thing that matters. But I know you, Sam. You’re more than this company.”

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