Page 16 of The Baby Bargain
Her eyes flit to my left hand. "Your glove is in the way."
"You can ask."
"Is there a ring?"
I shake my head.
"Did she… is she gone?"
"She's around." Just not around me. I never once thought that would be better. I love Grace. I want her in the world. I want to stop loving her, but not because she's gone. Because I don't care anymore.
"What happened?"
I trace thea. Study her expression through the mirror. She wants a distraction. A connection. A reason to spill her guts.
Usually, I run away from that.
Right now—
There's too much in my head. I need to talk to someone. I need someone to understand.
To whisperit's not your fault, Chase. You're not the reason everyone around you is fucked. You're capable of making someone happy.
I want to hear that.
I want it to be true.
But this isn't about what I need. It's about Sara. "I tried to make her happy. But I didn't."
Through the mirror, her eyes meet mine. "You miss her?"
"Sometimes," I lie. Return to the letters. "Do you miss your—"
"Yeah, but it's different than a breakup."
"Forever?"
She nodsyeah. "He knew he was… it was, I swear it was like a Nicholas Sparks movie. I knew he had a terminal illness when we fell in love. He told me to stay away. He even left at one point."
"He didn't want you to hurt?"
"Maybe. I think it was more… he was scared, you know? To have someone there to watch. To have something to lose."
Fuck, I can't imagine.
"I… I used to tell him this. That love conquers all. Even death. He thought it was stupid." She nods to the tattoo. "He'd hate it."
"You really think so?"
"Yeah, but he'd love it too. Because…" She blinks and a tear catches on her lashes. "Sorry."
"It happens."
She presses her lips together. "It isn't easier."
I move to the next letter.
"Adding the memory. But nothing will ever hurt that much. Or like that."
