Page 52 of Forbidden Fruit

"He's old enough to be your father!"

"And yet he treats me with more respect than you ever did," I counter.

Clive's mouth quirks up in a half-smile.

"I'm flying there," Jack threatens. "I’m leaving today."

"No," I say firmly. "Don't come here, Jack. It's over between us."

"You don't get to decide that," he snarls.

Something in me snaps. Years of accommodating, tiptoeing around his moods, and making myself smaller crystallize into a hard knot of resolve.

"Actually, I do. That's exactly how breakups work. One person says it's over, and it's over."

"This is because I didn't propose, isn't it? Fine. I'll marry you. Is that what you want to hear?"

Clive's eyebrows shoot up, and I almost laugh at the absurdity of it.

"No, Jack. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to move in with you. I don't want to know you anymore."

"It's Clive," Jack says, his voice dripping with venom. "He's poisoned you against me. My own stepfather?—"

"This isn't about Clive," I interrupt, though the man sitting beside me, his hand warm against my back, has shown me what I've been missing. "This is about us—how you've treated me for years. I deserved better."

"Better?" Jack laughs bitterly. "You think that's Clive? He's using you to hurt me and Mom. Once he's made his point, he'll toss you aside like yesterday's trash."

I feel Clive stiffen beside me, and I reach for his hand, squeezing it.

"I'm hanging up now, Jack. Please don't call again."

"Becca Jamison, if you hang up on me?—"

I end the call and immediately block his number. My hands are shaking, but I feel lighter like I've shed a heavy coat I didn't realize I was wearing.

"You okay?" Clive asks softly.

I nod, surprised to find it's true. "I think I actually am."

My phone pings with a text from Holly:

Jack just called me screaming about you blocking him. What did you DO?

I set the phone down without responding and turn to Clive. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

He studies me as if making sure I'm really alright. "I thought maybe a boat ride? There's a little cove on the other side of the island. Crystal clear water, good snorkeling."

"That sounds perfect," I say, taking another bite of pancake. They're getting cold, but they still taste like freedom.

"We should probably talk about what happens when we return to New York," Clive says. "Jack isn't going to let this go easily."

"I know." I sigh, setting down my fork. "And your ex-wife is going to be furious. She’ll make life hell for you."

"Kay's fury is a familiar storm," he says with a wry smile. "I weathered it for fifteen years. I can handle another squall."

I push my plate away, suddenly not hungry anymore. "This is going to be messy, isn't it? The society pages will have a field day with this. My parents are going to be mortified." I groan, dropping my head into my hands. "They're already disappointed that I chose event planning over law school. This might send them over the edge."

Clive moves behind me, his strong hands gently massaging my shoulders. "Do you care what they think? Genuinely asking."

---