Page 103 of Finding Their Place

Stumbling footsteps entered the kitchen, and like a physical caress, I felt Garrett’s eyes on me.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

I glanced over my shoulder to find Garrett’s stare on me, a furrow in his forehead similar to mine. He scratched his chest, noticing the phone I clutched in my hand.

“Everything okay?” he asked when I didn’t answer his first question.

“Haley texted.”

He shot forward, grabbing for my phone.

I handed it over willingly, my heart like a rock in my chest.

His shoulders sagged. “Oh fuck.” He swallowed audibly and gave me his focus.

The wetness in his eyes twisted my insides, but it was what I saw in those depths that hit me hardest. Excitement, joy… and longing.

“Go home to her,” I whispered, wanting to hang onto that last emotion in his gaze more than the others because I knew he felt pulled in two directions, same as I would in his shoes.

“What about you?” He choked out the words.

“She didn’t ask for me, Garrett. Haley wants you—she’s willing to give you a chance, so if you knew what was best for you, you’d grab your bag and go home.”

Garrett chewed on his lower lip, and I reached up for his chin, tugging until the flesh popped free from his teeth. “I…”

My smile felt more sad than happy. “I’ll be fine. I’m excited for you. Seriously. Get your ass out of here.”

“I thought you liked my ass.” His attempts at a joke fell flat.

“You know damn well I do. Fuck, do I ever, but Haley’s happiness is what’s important here.”

Garrett inhaled deeply and slowly let his lungs deflate. “Yeah.”

I’d spoken truth, but his agreeing still knifed at me. “Then what are you waiting for?” I forced tone to my voice that wanted to whisper from a shattering heart.

Those dark eyes of his slid over my face, searching, perhaps memorizing in case it was the last time we shared the same space.

I swallowed hard.

He bent down and kissed me gently, no tongue, a simple press of lips that lingered long enough that my heart rate kicked up at the well-learned knowledge of what his mouth was capable of.

“Can I call you?” he asked when he backed away, leaving me cold and empty inside.

“Please,” I choked out what I wanted, even though it would be best to do a clean break so we could all move on with our lives.

He got up, and I listened as he tossed his shit into the lone bag he’d brought from their apartment.

Less than five minutes later, he stood in the kitchen once more.

I didn’t get up because if I did, I would hug him—and I would have one hell of a time letting him go. In that moment, I thoroughly understood abandonment, and I experienced a tiny bit of the hurt I’d caused Haley by leaving her.

But I wasn’t given a chance to make things better like Garrett was.

Our gazes held, and he seemed to understand my feelings and the thoughts rattling my brain. A single nod, and he turned away.

The door snicked shut, and I sat alone in the silence, staring at the chair on my right I’d become accustomed to seeing him occupy. He’d made himself at home in my life in so short a time, and I’d enjoyed having him there. Looked forward to waking up beside him in the morning, sharing kisses between sips of coffee, his gorgeous body on display and available for my caring touch whenever both of us had wanted.

Even more, though, I’d found comfort in having someone all up in my space, having conversations about mundane shit. Sports. The damn lollipops he crunched on.

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