“About life.”
“You mean . . . about falling for someone who’s average.”
He inhales sharply and I know I hit the nail on the head.
My eyes well with tears. “I’m not your fairy tale, Elliot,” I whisper.
“Yes, you are.” He stands. “It’s all bullshit. All along I thought I had to have signs. I thought that my gut would lead me to my soulmate.”
Oh . . . this man hurts me. I drop my head, unable to look at him.
“Kate, we hated each other for years.” He takes my face in his hand and he dusts his thumb back and forth over my bottom lip. “You can’t blame me for wondering if it was the real thing, or simply a physical attraction. You had to have had the same concerns.”
My heart drops.
Never once.
I force a nod; I just want this conversation over.
He falls to his knees in front of me again and looks up. “I love you.” He kisses me softly. “We can fix this. We can start again, and this time we know it’s the real thing. Nobody makes me feel like you do, Kate.”
More lies.
I pull back from his kiss. “I need a shower.”
He smiles as he holds me in his arms. “Yes, let’s take a shower.”
“Elliot, I’ve had the worst day in history and I’m tired. Can we talk about this tomorrow, please?”
“Okay.” He nods as he pulls me to my feet. “You’re right, we have all the time in the world.”
He leads me into the bathroom and turns the shower on. He slowly undresses me and I get in under the water.
I shower in a daze, somewhere between heartache and relief.
Now, I know.
I get out and he dries me with a towel as he showers me in kisses. “Thank God, you’re here,” he whispers. “I thought I lost you.”
I stare at him in a detached state: is he for real?
He thinks he can say a few pretty words and all is well between us?
I feel nothing . . . I’m dead inside. It’s like I’m talking to a stranger, one that I don’t even like.
Whatever we had is gone.
We get into his bed and our lips touch; his kiss deepens and I pull out of it. “Tomorrow, babe,” I whisper. “I’m not in the mood tonight. Honestly, I’m just too emotionally exhausted.”
“Okay.” He reaches over and turns the bedside light off and snuggles in behind me, his arms around me, his lips at my temple.
“I love you, Kate,” he whispers.
“I love you too,” I whisper back. We lie in the darkness, so physically close and yet I’ve never felt so alone.
If he knew me at all, he would know that.
A tear rolls down my face in the darkness; it’s hot and salty and feels a lot like betrayal.
Elliot Miles isn’t the only one who wanted a fairy-tale ending.
I did too.
And sadly, I know this isn’t it.
Chapter 25
ELLIOT
I wake with a start, a bang in the distance.
I look over to Kate, but I’m in bed alone. I sit up. “Kate,” I call.
Is she in the bathroom?
“Kate?”
I get up and walk to the bathroom, it’s empty. Panic floods through me and I flick the light on. “Kate,” I yell as I look around. “Where are you?”