Gabriel makes no move to hand it back, and I don’t make a move to take it back.
We stare each other down in some freaking staring contest I’d rather not be involved in.
“You don’t believe me?” I feel like I’m going to suffocate just asking that question. My lungs are on fire even though I’m currently forcing air into them.
“Honestly, no. But it’s not your fault. Other people poisoned the well long before you arrived. I’m sorry, I just can’t. I can’t take that chance. I can’t risk it because it’s not just me who would suffer. It’s my businesses, my assets, my employees, my family, and other people who are connected to me. It’s a big chain, and I’m not going down that road again.”
“I’d sign something. Anything. A contract that says I couldn’t touch any of it. Ever. What are those things called? A prenup? Wait, no, that’s for weddings. But there must be something for just regular dating.”
Gabriel sighs. He looks like he wants to believe me now, but there’s this hard edge to his face that is also saying he just can’t get there.
“And I’d pay my own way. You wouldn’t have to give me a single cent. I would never expect you to take me places, and you wouldn’t even have to buy me dinner. I have my own business. I might be self-employed, but I’m doing okay. I’m proud to be able to support myself, and I don’t need a guy to pay my way. That’s not what this is about.”
“Pearl—”
“No! I know what you’re feeling. I know it sucks to be hurt. I know exactly what it feels like and how long it takes to get over it and how it makes you never want to take a chance on anything again. Dean told me that by not telling you how I felt, I’d be letting them win—all the assholes who hurt me, who decided to just walk all over me. He made me see that some risks are worth taking.”
“You can’t know that.”
“I know. No one can, but not taking a risk isn’t really living at all, is it?”
“Unless you’re happy living the way you are, which I am. I’ve made my peace with it. Having money makes you different. It makes you a target for most people. My brother dragged me to the club because he said I never had any fun. He was right. I’ve had a great time here. With you. With your family. I could just be me, and no one thought any different. But now that you know, it would be different. It would be very different, and I just can’t deal with that.”
“Different how?”
“I just can’t.”
“Don’t you feel like you’re taking the easy way out?”
“This isn’t easy.” Gabriel leans forward and sets my phone on the coffee table.
I whirl around so he can’t see my face. I’m going to lose it. God, I’m going to freaking lose it. The tears are going to come out. My throat is burning, and my nose is twitching. Maybe the ugly crying will come out too.
The only way things could get any worse is if my parents were here.
Which, right on cue, they are. The front door creaks open, and my mom’s laughter floods the house. I brace for impact because they’re only a few steps away. The seconds tick by. Agonizing, too long, yet somehow not long enough at all. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
“Pearl?” It’s Dad.
“What’s wrong?” That’s from my Mom.
Because yeah, the tears started before they even opened the door. I study my feet, hoping they’ll just walk on by, but of course, they don’t. I imagine they take in Gabriel’s face or posture or whatever before they look at me.
“Did you guys have a fight?” Mom asks. “We can go…let you work it out. Come on, Fred.”
“No!” I swipe at my tears and lift my head. God, both my parents look so horrified. So worried. So destroyed for me. “No, don’t go. You might as well know. I planned this—the whole thing. I paid him to pretend to be my boyfriend because I was so tired of being pestered about it. I thought if I could just make you happy for this weekend, Susan could have her big day, and then I would say we broke up, and it would be disappointing for you both, but you’d accept that I was going to be okay and stop asking me about being single every single time you called or texted. I was just so exhausted. I was desperate. So, I did this. And yeah, that’s it. All of it. So right now, I’m going to pack my stuff, and I’m going home. To Seattle. And I’m taking him with me because there’s no way we can stay here for another minute.”