Page 63 of Fractured Dreams

Tex pulled his hand back, raising the other and lacing his fingers together at the back of his head, his expression pleading.

“You took my choice from me in the most painful way imaginable, but here’s one Icanmake for myself. The Portland clinic has offered me a permanent position and I’m going to take it. I won’t be coming back here.”

She turned and left then, her pulse pounding in her throat and tears burning the backs of her eyes. Noah called after her, but Tex just watched silently as she walked away.

Eden opened the back door and rushed out into the ocean-scented air outside. She pressed her hands to her cheeks to try to cool them down, to compose herself. Once her erratic breathing had calmed enough to not make her distress obvious, she made her way through the garden looking for the happy couple. She found them talking to Lexie’s photographer friend, and went up to them, smiling as best she could as she apologized for interrupting. “Thank you so much for inviting me, but I have to head out, I’ve got an early flight tomorrow. Congratulations again, both of you. It was a beautiful wedding and I couldn’t be happier for you.”

Connor smiled and gave her a hug, while Lexie searched her eyes. “Do you need to talk?”

Eden shook her head, pressing her lips together to stop them trembling. “It’s your special day, you should enjoy it.”

Lexie hugged her. “We’ll be back from our honeymoon in two weeks. Call me if you want to chat.” Eden nodded, grateful for Lexie’s kindness.

She made her way to the front of the house, relieved that she didn’t see Tex or Noah. There were several cars waiting out front to take guests home and she commandeered one, giving directions to Noah’s home.

Once she got inside the house, she took a hot shower, alternating between furious anger and heartrending sobs as she remembered the pain she’d felt the day Tex had broken her heart, and every day since then.

When she got out, she changed into her pajamas and crawled into her bed, tossing restlessly as the minutes and hours ticked by. When Noah came home, Eden tensed as he paused outside her door. He tapped softly and called her name, but she kept resolutely quiet, letting out her breath when he continued down the hall.

Eden lay there, long after Noah had gone to bed, going over and over what had happened. Perhaps, just like Noah and the rest of her family, Tex had permanently branded her as weak in his mind, someone who couldn’t cope with what life had to throw at her. She couldn’t be in a relationship with someone who thought of her that way, she just couldn’t.

Not that Tex had asked her to come back to him. Eden choked down a bitter sob. And maybe that’s what she needed to hold on to. He’d never said he loved her, hadn’t begged her to stay and hear him out, he’d just watched her leave.

Again.

It was clear that he’d genuinely hated hurting her, but when it came down to it, even now that the reason why he’d done it was out in the open, he still hadn’t fought for her. And that was what hurt the most. Because the simple truth was that for Tex, she just wasn’t worth the fight.

Tears dripped down Eden’s cheeks and she brushed them angrily away. As much as it pained her to think it, perhaps he and Noah were right, and she did need to grow up—to be stronger. Failed relationships were a part of life. She’d wanted Tex, and she hadn’t got him, and no amount of crying about it was going to change that. So now she just needed to do the mature thing and move on.

Eden finally fell into a fitful sleep a few hours before dawn, but she was up in time to leave early for the airport before Noah woke. She stifled the nagging sense of guilt she felt at avoiding him, but she was still so angry she couldn’t bring herself to talk to him. Instead, she called for a car, and while she waited, she wrote a note telling Noah she’d call him when she was ready to talk.

Then she left.

Chapter 36

Tex downed another shot, his heart seeming to thud in time to the pounding bass notes of the almost painfully loud techno music. He looked over at Connor and Lexie—back from their honeymoon and looking even more stupidly in love than ever—then quickly averted his gaze. Not before catching the thinly veiled look of concern Lexie shot him though.

Well, she didn’t have to worry; tonight, he was several shots down and feeling no pain. He looked out at the heaving mass of bodies on the dance floor and his mind attempted to conjure the picture of Eden out there, moving that beautiful body of hers in time to the music, but he ruthlessly suppressed it. He was done with those masochistic tendencies.

He’d been planning to take Zac’s advice and tell Eden the truth at the wedding, to see whether there was a chance she could forgive him after what he’d done, but Noah had beaten him to the punch. He’d had to stand by and watch her make her choice—one that didn’t involve a future with him in it. Then he’d done the right thing and let her go, telling himself that it was done now,theywere done. He’d stayed to the end of the reception, repressing every emotion that tried to break free until he’d gotten home, where he’d proceeded to finish off whatever alcohol had been left in his house. He’d numbed the pain for as long as he could, but when the last hangover finally wore off, he’d realized getting drunk every day wasn’t helping, and he needed to follow the second part of Zac’s advice and just move the fuck on.

So that’s what he was here tonight to do. All four of them, plus Lexie and Drew were out, apparently celebrating that the single they’d just dropped from the album had shot straight to the top of the Billboard charts. That achievement, amidst predictions of the new album being Fractured’s fourth in a row to debut at number one in the album charts when it was released in two weeks’ time, had sent Drew into a frenzy of excitement.

Tex had struggled to care, and he knew his apathy was getting to the others, so he’d decided to do something about it tonight. He glanced over at where Zac was sitting at the bar, chatting with a pretty brunette, and decided it was about time he joined him, instead of slouching in the corner pouring whiskey down his throat.

Tex stood and made his way over, snagging the stool next to Zac. His friend glanced at him and raised his brows. Tex gave him a nod, then winked at the woman Zac was talking to, looking away when she giggled and fluttered her lashes. Zac was watching him with an amused smile on his face.

“You finally ready to get back in the game?” he said.

Tex shrugged. “It’s about time, don’t you think?” He caught the eye of the bartender who hustled over to take his order.

Zac’s amused smile faded. “Does it matter what I think?”

Tex frowned at him, wondering what he meant, but before he could ask, Zac’s gaze went over his shoulder. “That didn’t take long,” he said.

Glancing behind him, Tex met the eyes of a woman, who gave him a hesitant smile as she stopped beside him.

“Are… are you Tex McLain?” she asked.

---