Page 316 of Sticks and Stones
“It’s not you, Will. It’s me.”
Gene cringed.
Ethan closed his eyes.
Oh, the baby detective was definitely not able to read that room.
Someone else could though. There was no missing the message here. Corbin was dumping him.
At his words, Will began backing up, until he was almost to the hall that led to the door.
Corbin had to finish.
“I’m sorry that I’m doing this,” Corbin began, but he was stopped when Will held up his hand.
“You don’t need to apologize,” he said. “If you feel nothing for me, then I get it,” he offered, trying not to break down.
Only, he was.
A single tear broke past his resolve, and slipped down his cheek.
It was time to go.
Will needed to get as far from here as possible. He really believed that this man would be the one for the rest of his life.
“Will.”
Again, he shook his head.
“No, Corbin. Don’t.”
He turned, but before he left, said one last thing, without looking back at him.
“I love you, Corbin. I’m sorry that I’m not the one. It sucks because you were the one for me. You were my soulmate. I would have grown old with you and died with you. Now, I’ll try to learn to live without you.”
With that, he walked away.
When they heard the door close, both men glanced over at Corbin.
He looked like he’d lost everything all over again. Honestly, they weren’t sure why he had to be so difficult.
Immediately, Blackhawk tried to mitigate this. He tried to help Corbin find a way through it. His heart broke for him, because before Gene, he would have done something just as stupid.
Now was not the time to fall on one’s sword. It was time to hold on to anyone who could help him.
“He loves you, Corby,” Ethan said.
He shrugged.
His mind was made up.
“I can’t save us both now. He needs me to be strong, and that’s not who I am anymore. I set him free so he could find someone who can hold him up, protect him, and take care of him. That man is dead, and I’m broken. It’s the right thing to do,” he whispered.
Gene wanted to help him.
Only, how did you heal a broken heart?
Corbin was staring at them.
