Page 41 of Destiny

“It would. Maybe. Why would it matter?”

“I haven’t quite figured that out yet,” he says.

I stand. “That’s my point. There’s a reason. There’s a reason both you and I are involved.”

He pulls me back down next to him. “There’s not always a reason, Ava.”

“But with this woman, there is. Why did she reach out to me? Why not my father? He’s her son. Or why not my sister? Why me?”

“I don’t know, Ava.”

I scoot a few inches away from him. It’s not that I don’t want to be close, but I feel… I feel like I need some space. “I have to know. I have to figure this whole thing out before I can be a good wife to you, Brendan.”

He chuckles lightly. “I’m not saying we have to get married tomorrow.”

“I know that. I just think…”

He inhales sharply. “You don’t want to make the commitment.”

I grab his hand. “No, that’s not it at all.”

“Then what is it, Ava? We just had some mind-blowing sex. It was incredible. I love you, and I know you love me. So what is it?”

Before I think better of it, I blurt out an answer. “It’s… I need space, Brendan. I can’t deal with anything more than my family right now. I closed my bakery, for God’s sake. Something I’d never do.”

Brendan stands, grabs his jeans and boxer briefs, and stumbles back into them.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m getting dressed, Ava. And then I’m leaving.”

“But you don’t have to open the bar yet, you can—”

“I’m giving you space.”

“Brendan…” I don’t know how to make him understand. I’m not sure I understand myself. I don’t need space from him. Except I do, sort of.

“You’ve made it pretty clear where you stand, Ava. Why don’t you call me when you no longer need space from me?”

“But I…” I shake my head. “It’s hard to explain.”

“You’re a smart girl, Ava. One of the smartest people I know, and one of the most intuitive. Ifyoucan’t say what you mean, then who can?” He grabs his shirt, shoves it over his shoulders. “I love you, and because I love you, I’ll give you the space you require.”

He leaves.

And I let him leave.

I hate myself for it, but I let him go.

Because I have so much else on my mind. The mystery I need to solve.

I am the key.

And I need to figure out why.

Chapter Thirteen

Brendan

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