Page 108 of Horn in My Side
Jasmine’s throat dried up and she couldn’t speak, not that she had anything to say to him right now.She closed her eyes tight, unable to look at him.
“Jasmine?Are you okay?”
After a deep cleansing breath, she managed to speak.“Grok called.”
“Grok?”
“From the Historical Society.”
Recognition flashed across his face.“Did she say—”
“When were you going to tell me?Or were you going to even say anything?”That came out snippier than she wanted.
“Of course I was going to tell you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest.“When did you find out anyway?”
“I ...”His throat bobbed.“I got the email while we were in Bayview.”
“When we were in Bayview?”How she hated the way her voice pitched high at the end of that sentence, but she couldn’t stop herself from continuing.“That was over a week ago.And you never said a word.I thought we agreed to be honest with each other, Mal?”
“I wasn’t lying to you.”He raked a hand through his mop of messy dark hair.
“It was a lie of omission, then.”
He let out a grunt.“Look, I didn’t know what to say, okay?I mean, what was I supposed to do?That job means a lot to me.To my family and our legacy.I didn’t think they’d choose me after all this time.I’d honestly been preparing myself for the rejection, because of how disappointed I’d be if I didn’t win the bid.And then I got that email.”
The reality of the situation walloped her in the gut.
He was leaving.
Of course he was leaving.This was his big dream.The chance of a lifetime.To build his legacy, and that of his father.
“Mal, it’s fine.”Her heart twinged in pain.“Really it is.”
“Jasmine—”
“Remember what we said in the beginning?About being adults?We said we would see where this goes and now ...it went.”
“That’s it?”His voice turned chilly.“You’re breaking up with me?”
She swallowed the emotion scratching at her throat.“Better to do it now before we ...”
“Before we what?”
Jasmine pasted a smile on her face.“Before either of us got hurt.”Though on her part, that sadly was too late.
“What if I did stay, Jasmine?”
Hope fluttered in her, but she squashed it down.“Mal, this is your dream job.What you’ve been working for, for the past year.Don’t throw it all away.”
Not for me.
She didn’t want another man losing out on his hopes and dreams because of her, not when she could do something about it this time.
If Mal declined that job and stayed to be with her, he’d always regret what he’d missed out on.He’d resent her forever.It would always loom over their heads and frankly, despite loving him, she wouldn’t be able to be with him if that happened.
“You really want to end things?”
