Page 100 of Reckless

“Tyler,” I closed my eyes and shook my head.

“Just listen, okay? It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t pleasant, but I fell in love with you. And I know you deserve better. A clean breakup at the very least. But I don’t want to just let you go.” I looked him straight in the eye, debating if I should tell him what I was up to these days. “I’m done with the ring. I got out. And I have no more secrets. I swear.” I dropped my forehead down to his chest. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I shook my head, not lifting it up to look at him. “I’m leaving. In two weeks. I’m moving back to California.” I finally dared to glance at him. I couldn’t read his expression, so I continued. “I came to Boston because of you. Then I stayed because of college. A boyfriend here and there. Then I got that job with Amanda Reed. I convinced myself I could stay here. But I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Not at all. I want to be close to my family. I want to go out with my best friend. I want to play with her baby,” I paused. “My apartment is already listed for sale.”

“You can come live with me.” A hysterical laugh came out of me. Tyler shot me an offended look. “I told you I loved you. You can’t leave now.”

“Excuse me?” I shot back outraged.

“You stayed here for six years. We barely saw each other and now that I tell you that I love you, you want to leave?”

“Yes.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“It makes perfect sense to me.”

“I can’t come with you.” Tyler got in my face, his mouth an inch from mine. “You understand that now. I can’t leave.”

“I know,” I unglued myself from him and he released me from his grip. “It’s fine. You should do what you think is right for you. And I should do the same for me.” I took a few steps back, still facing him. “I’m sorry.”

Then I turned away and went inside my building. The first thing I did when I went upstairs, was to peek from my window. To see if he was still there. Waiting for me to change my mind.

He wasn’t.

Chapter Thirty-One

Tyler

Iwalkedthestreetsfor hours. Some part of me knew that Hannah had made the right choice for her. Another one however wanted me to march back over there, enter a full-blown stalker mode and follow her around for the next couple of weeks, begging her not to leave, until she caved.

She would probably consider that a harassment and not a romantic gesture, so I had to come up with something else.

I contemplated calling Clem. But then I remembered she had probably known Hannah was leaving and she told me to fight for her anyway. I would have to explain why I couldn’t follow her back to California. I couldn’t handle having to explain that twice in a row. I barely managed to have that conversation once.

That left me with only one place to go for advice.

I checked my phone. It was almost midnight. Completely inappropriate hour for a surprise visit. But it was overdue, so I decided I was going to break the etiquette and just arrive unannounced at the doorstep of the only friend I had left.

Chloe opened the door, shock written all over her face. After a long pause, she asked.

“Did someone die?”

I smiled. “No.”

“Areyoudying?”

I shook my head, still smiling. “You begged for me to come over for so long, I decided to finally please you. Did I wake you?”

“Yeah,” she stepped aside and invited me in. I walked over to the first chair I saw and sat down.

“I’m fucked.”

“Hayes?”

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