Page 88 of On the Rocks

I’d let the thought ofusgo, and now I was free.

“There is no universe where this,” I gestured between us, “happens again.” Despite the way my insides twisted, I managed to keep my voice calm, controlled. Shouting at him wouldn’t get me anywhere. It just made Levi double down. “I’m done with us. With you.”

“Is this because of Aiden?” he asked.

“No,” I said pointedly, really trying to get him tolistento my words. “This has nothing to do with him.”

“Cora—”

“It doesn’t matter what you say. It doesn’t matter that you moved back to New York. I’m not getting back together with you. Ever.”

Levi shook his head, jaw clenched, staring off down the hall. “You’re making a mistake choosing Aiden over me.”

“That’s not what this is,” I insisted, shutting that down.Again.

“He’s not right for you. He’s notgoodfor you.”

And you are?I wanted to laugh. The fact that he thought he knew better than I did about what was good for me should have been a waving red flag all these years.

“Just so we’re clear, I’m not choosing Aiden over you. I’m choosing myself. I don’t want to be with you simply becauseI don’t want to be with you. I’m happier without you, surrounded by people who make me feel appreciated and validated.” Unlike Levi, who had always taken me for granted.

And yeah, sure, Aiden might have been one of the people who’d been making me happy lately, who’d made me feel appreciated, but even if he wasn’t around, even if things didn’t work out between us, I still didn’t want to get back with Levi.

“You’re making a mistake,” he said again.

“Mistake or not, it’s my choice to make. And anyway, I don’t think itisa mistake. We aren’t a good couple,” I told him. “If we were, you wouldn’t have been tempted by a life with Sally.”

The muscle in his cheek twitched. Perhaps I’d hit a nerve. Perhaps he knew I was right.

“We stayed together for so long because it felt familiar and safe, but that’s not reason enough to be together. I’m not going back to a relationship that doesn’t truly bring me joy.” That took the wind out of his sails.

“We could find joy again.”

“We can’t. We’ve gone our separate ways, Levi. You need to be okay with that.” He swallowed hard. I could see his throat work, scrambling for some last-ditch excuse or argument to sway me. I patted his hand. “And you need to hear me now when I say that you need to stop with…all of this. No more flowers. No more surprise visits. No more attempts to win me back.”

“But—”

“I mean it. If you try again, I’m going to call your grandmother.” He was an only child, and his mom spoiled him rotten, taking Levi’s side in everything, but his grandmother, Charlotte, was a force to be reckoned with. She’d always loved me, and one call from her would have Levi trembling in his boots. “You got off easy with her when we broke up. Don’t make me drag her into this now.”

Levi nodded once. We both knew he was terrified of her. This was as serious as I could possibly be with him.

“Goodbye, Levi. I think it’s time you leave now.”

He looked at me for a beat, then turned, sulking off down the hall, shoulders slumped. I didn’t feel bad for the guy—I was simply relieved it was finally over and I could close the book on him once and for all. Our relationship was truly in the past, leaving me free to move on to better things. A life with Aiden? A long-term career with Elixir? These all felt like possibilities, if Aiden wanted them too. Maybe knowing Levi was finally out of the picture would reassure him and prove how serious I was about making this work.

I returned to Aiden’s side. He’d sat down in a chair at the end of the hall, hunched over, elbows on his knees. I touched his shoulder. He startled, looking up at me.

He looked terrible.

Pale. Sweaty. Hair disheveled.

It looked like someone had just delivered the worst news of his life. Had something else happened? Was it Nana Dee?

I looked around for Trent or one of the other guys for answers. I knew Nana Dee had been invited tonight, but she’d had to turn down the invitation when she’d developed a bad cold. Had it turned into something more serious? The guys were nowhere to be seen.

“Aiden, what is it? Is…is everyone okay?”

Aiden’s hands shook and he clenched them into fists. “I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

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