Page 40 of Unravel You

“That’s it?”

“I want to be with you. Are you asking me what the perfect world for me would look like? Fine.” His blue gaze pierced through me.

I backed away from him, hoping he wouldn’t say it aloud.

“I want us to live here. You, me, Max. We can be a family here.”

“You should’ve said that before you got me here. Or were you hoping your mom would fix it for you?”

“What?”

“Since the moment I walked in, she’s been pushing me out the door. And you let her. As if you wanted her to chase me away so you wouldn’t have to do it yourself.”

“No. That’s not it at all. I was an idiot. That’s on me. If I could do today over, trust me I would.”

“What else did you lie about?”

“I didn’t lie about anything.” He rubbed his chest, breathing out. “I would do anything to marry you. Anything you ask.”

“Even living in a place where you feel you don’t belong?”

“Yes.” He answered without hesitation. This was his truth. He’d do anything to be with me.

“For how long? How soon before you expect the same from me?” I had my answers, shitty as they were. “Let me be very clear with you. I don’t want to live here.”

He shuffled away from me. Even if he loved me enough not to ask me to move my family here, he’d hoped I’d come willingly somehow. The disappointment was written all over his face. I couldn’t stand it. My head spun and throbbed with everything he said and didn’t say.

Taking a deep breath, I turned and left him standing there. I needed to be alone. When I reached the edge of the gardens, I glanced back, expecting to see him. Since I met him, he’d always given chase whenever I got too scared. But this time, he wasn’t there. I wasn’t surprised, though it still hurt like hell.

I trudged upstairs. Zack tried to talk to me on my way to the bedroom, but I waved him away. I couldn’t deal with Derek’s family right now. I had to make a list and figure things out. Was I ready to leave now? I shut the door behind me and leaned on it, hugging my stomach, gasping for air.

In the bathroom, I rummaged through my toiletry bag, looking for ibuprofen. I couldn’t think with this headache. I popped the pills in my mouth and drank out of the faucet. It was late. I couldn’t make plans for anything. I lay on the bed and glared at the clock on the bedside table. The digital numbers faded in and out until the sun came up.

Derek never came.

Chapter11

Technically, That Was a Fat Lie

Valentina

I followed the garden path down toward the pool house. On the other side of it, a greenhouse peeked over the hedges, perched on a hill. That would be a good hiding place for the day. After Derek didn’t show up to sleep with me last night, I’d decided to give him space and think things through. For one, I had no idea what to say to him because I didn’t know how we could make Atlanta work. What would Max think of that? Would he like it here?

When we FaceTime’d earlier today, I hinted that we might move here, but the idea didn’t register with him. He shrugged it off and moved the phone to show me how he and Pirate were getting ready to take a nap. The lazy cat was already fast asleep, cuddled next to Max’s side. I wanted to hold him so badly.

But after all Derek and I have been through, I knew leaving Max with Em and my parents had been the right thing to do for him. I didn’t want him to see me making a mess of things with Derek.

Inside the glass building, the humidity had to be 100 percent. A long wooden table pushed against the north wall was covered with pots of orchids of different sizes. I ambled into the bright room, smiling at the soothing sound of trickling water created by the stone fountain crowding the center. The pungent flower scent tickled my nose and made me sneeze.

“Bless you.” A male voice came from the other side of the greenhouse where tall palm trees dotted one corner. He hunched over a sink, washing his hands the way surgeons scrub in before going into an operating room.

“Thank you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” I turned to leave.

“You must be Valentina. I missed you at breakfast this morning.” He wiped his hands on his apron and put out his arm. “I’m Liam. Derek’s dad.”

Why did Derek not tell me his dad had come home from his conference? So much for making a good impression with his family. “Dr. Cole, nice to meet you.”

“Just Liam. Please. Sweet Ana has told me all about you, which is a good thing because Derek never tells me anything.”

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