The moment the door shut, I let out a loud frustrated scream.
“Kyns, you really need to accept the facts. We’re getting married…someday.”
Facing Miles, I opened my mouth to speak, then clamped it shut. Everything seemed to move in on me at once. The moment I felt the first tear fall, I wanted to run. Miles frowned and reached out for me.
“Don’t! Don’t touch me, Miles. Not right now. Please.”
“Hey, I’m just playing around, getting you worked up. Please don’t cry.” He dropped his hand and looked down at the floor before looking back up at me.
“I don’t know why you’re doing this to me,” I said.
“Doing what?” he asked.
My chin wobbled, and I felt like I was eighteen again. Standing there trying to figure out how to tell this man I loved him and not simply as a best friend. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life, together. As a couple. Maybe a family.
Oh God, this isn’t happening to me. It’s all just a bad dream.
Just like back then, he stood before me clueless. He didn’t love me the way I needed to be loved. He didn’t need me in his life the same way I desired to be in his. I was simply someone he needed for whatever screwed-up reason. He didn’t even care enough to tell me why he needed me to marry him.
Exhaustion hit me, and I turned away from him.
“Where are you going?” he asked, following me around the counter.
“Home. I’m going home, Miles.”
“I thought we were going for a ride.”
My eyes lifted to meet his concerned gaze. “If you just need a bride, why didn’t you ask some girl you hooked up with in the past? I’m sure they’d be happy to play pretend house with you.”
He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it quickly.
I forced myself to smile slightly. “Maybe you have, and they said no, too.”
“I haven’t, Kynslee. I don’t need a bride. Stop making it seem that way. It’s just complicated, and I keep fucking it up every time I turn around. There is no damn hidden reason why I want to marry you. We made a promise and—”
And there went the last twist of the knife. I felt sick and all I wanted to do was run. Instead, I lifted my chin and put up my hand, stopping him from speaking.
“Fuck the promise, Miles! Forget it! If you can’t even take a chance to do this the right way, if you need to pull some bullshit card you had from when were eighteen because you don’t think I’m worth the effort, then we were never meant for anything other than friendship.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted this to happen differently, Kyns. You have to know that. I’m fucking trying here, but you even doubt that. What in the hell do you want me to do?”
“Nothing, Miles. I’m tired of this game. I don’t want anything from you.”
“Goddamn it, will you stop for a minute. Let’s just go on the ride, and we can talk through this.”
“The time for talking is over, Miles. I’m done with all of this. You want a wedding, fine. I’ll give you your damn wedding. Use it for whatever reason you need and once you’re done with the fake marriage, we go our separate ways.”
A horrified look moved over his face. “Kynslee, I just told you, we don’t have to get married if you’re not ready. If you would just give me a chance to…”
The door chimed again, and my father walked in.
“Hey, kids, how is it going?”
I grabbed my keys under the counter and headed to the back. “I’m leaving for the rest of the day, Dad. If you need me, I’ll be working from home. You can call me on my cell.”
“Kynslee! Wait. Will you just wait a second!” Miles called out.
Keeping my sobs at bay, I rushed through the back and out to my car. I expected to see Miles come running after me, but he didn’t. He’d let me go. Again. Why that hurt so much, I had no idea. I should have been used to it by now.
Kynslee
MY PHONE VIBRATED on the table.
Miles.
I turned it over and focused back on the handsome guy sitting across from me. I had let Heather talk me into going out tonight when all I wanted to do was climb into bed and cry. Miles had never showed up at my house the day I walked out of the store. He hadn’t tried to see me over the last week. He’d called, but he didn’t bother to come see me for that talk.
Jerk.
I wasn’t worth it, and so he had managed to hurt me once again.
“Remind me why you’re here in town?” I asked, trying not to let my nerves get rattled by Miles Warner calling me while I talked with this guy I didn’t really want to be talking to.