Page 69 of Frozen Flames

I see it in her eyes. No matter how much Claire likes me, she wouldn’t wish this upon me. I mean, who would? She probably wanted me to leave Gemma first.

“I’m so sorry.”

I shrug. “It was bound to happen.”

“Did you talk to her about the things that are bothering you? Maybe she needs time, Harv.”

I chuckle. “As if you even want us to stay together anyway.”

She swallows. “Don’t. You know how I feel about you, but I want you to be happy, and if that means working things out with Gemma, then I’ll step aside. Besides”—she laughs lightly, but it’s full of pain—“it’s clear that you want to be with her and not me. That’s telling enough.”

I wish I could confirm or deny her declaration, but I can’t. I don’t have it in me even to talk at this point, let alone think or make decisions about my love life.

She’s neither right nor wrong.

I want to try to work things out with Gemma. But she’s also wrong because I know how strongly I feel about Claire. And I’m not sure I’ll be able to tame those feelings down the road, which is so unfair to Gemma.

“You know…you’re probably both better off without me.”

Claire acts unbothered. “Or maybe you don’t believe you deserve to be happy.”

I mean, what the fuck, is she right?

Do I sabotage myself and any possibility of happiness?

“Gemma’s been avoiding me. I’ve been texting her. I want to apologize to her for coming on to you,” Claire says, then shushes me quietly, shaking her head, when she notices that I’m about to argue with her statement. “I hope she forgives you, Harvey.”

I stare at her, bewildered, as she then finishes typing on her iPad. She seems sad, and I know I must be the cause of it, which tears me up inside.

I don’t want to hurt Gemma. I feel like I owe it to us to try and make it work. After all, she’s stayed with me even after my paralysis.

Yet…yet…Claire.

There’s a certain attraction I feel for this woman that has nothing to do with her looks.

“Okay, let’s start. Don’t worry, we’ll take it easy this week,” she murmurs, and I nod.

I focus on walking and then on my training exercises, avoiding her eyes, hoping that this way I can avoid wanting her. Besides, I’m too heartbroken about Gemma to do anything about it anyway.

I’m very weak during training.

Back to square one.

Henrik comes over in the afternoon after Claire leaves early. The last thing I want to deal with today is a weird interaction between these two when I’m not in the mood to be around people.

“You look like shit.”

“Thanks,” I say deadpan.

He sighs. “Harvey, what’re you doing?”

“Let me guess, you spoke to Gemma,” I say when we’re sitting on the couch.

He swallows. “Look, clearly mistakes were made, but you can forgive each other.”

“Yeah, maybe, but at what cost? I don’t trust her, and she doesn’t trust me with Claire. I have no idea where the hell she’s been.”

“Well…I spoke to her at Gia’s, but…”

---