Page 149 of Holding You
I follow her out and take a seat.
Everyone has their food plated, but not a single person has taken a bite.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“Yes,” Luca says.
Miles punches his arm.
“What? You’re worried, too. Stop acting like you’re not. Why aren’t we bombarding her like you did me?”
“I’m fine,” I say quickly and then dish up my own plate. I even take a giant bite to drive the point home.
With my fork, I point at Max’s plate. “Eat, please.”
“No,” he clips back quickly and with a fire I’ve never heard from him before. In fact, the entire table is shocked. Every single head turns to look at my son.
I don’t even have it in me to scold him, because I know where this tone is coming from.
Instead, I point to his plate again.
“You need to eat.”
“I’m not eating.” He stands abruptly and storms inside.
My dad scoots his chair back, but I put my hand on his arm. “Don’t. It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine. He knows better.”
“He’s hurt. I’m his mother. I’m allowing it right now. I’ll talk to him in a bit.”
Dad studies me for a moment and then nods.
“Now, can we all just eat?”
As soon as they all begin, I finally say what has been on my mind since the day Declan left.
“Did I make a mistake?”
My mind has raced over this day after day. Even more so when Barton caught wind that I didn’t do what he asked. He was quick to send me an updated balance.
Looking at the setback only made me more confident in my decision to tell Declan to go.
But fuck, my heart hurts so much.
Awkward glances are exchanged around the table.
No one replies.
“Should I have gone with him?”
Declan staying was never going to be an option, but Max and I not going with him, that’s all on me.
“Do you think you should have?” Quinn asks.
I shrug.
“I don’t know. I’m just numb, and nothing feels right herewithout them.”
