“Are you trying not to look at me?” He said, as I stood in front of him.
I felt a spark in my hands as I slipped my fingers under his coat. Damn, he looked handsome. Especially with his hair slicked back again. I liked the rough look, but this was good too.
“No.” I whispered, still not looking at him.
“Seems like it,” I gasped inwardly as his finger slipped under my throat, forcing me to look at him.
My heart swelled as tears stung my eyes with what I knew I had to do.
“Emilia, last night…”
“I should have left. I was late today, Tristan. This entire wedding almost fell apart because I was distracted.” I secured the pin and stepped back, escaping the heat of his proximity.
“I
knew I should have left. And I knew I shouldn’t have stayed involved with you. I can’t do this. I woke up thinking it was all over—my reputation, everything. I have to focus on my job. I can’t do that when I’m with you. So, this is it, we can’t…we can’t be together.”
I wiped my tears away quickly. Taking a deep breath to calm myself. I looked into his eyes like it was the last time, memorizing the beautiful green hue of them. His jaw tight, he stared back at me.
“But I…Emilia, I love you. We can try to…no. I won’t make you choose.” He shook his head, looking down at the ground.
What did he just say? Maybe I was crazy, or I am still asleep.
“I just want you to know that. When you walk away. That I’ve fallen in love with you. And I thought I would never trust another woman again, or want to be with them. But I do love. And that’s why…if you want to go, I have to let you go.” His voice didn’t even falter.
There was so much I wanted to say. That I was sorry. That I don’t want to hurt him. And I don’t want to do this at all. But as I turned to leave and left him behind…all I wanted to say was that I loved him too.
Chapter Twenty Nine: Tristan
“I want the ten floors at the top. Make the service elevator available to me too.” I barked commands at my leasing manager.
She was a nice girl, but a bit of an airhead.
“Yes sir. And your noon meeting is here.” She tucked her dyed blonde hair behind her ear. When I hired her a week ago, she was a brunette.
But she was young. A business major in college, so I decided to throw her a bone.
“Thanks. Did anyone call back?” I hoped.
“Nope. Is that all?” She stuck her chest out, her black, tight dress wasn’t necessarily work place attire. I knew she was trying to get with me, but I was extremely unavailable.
“Yes.” I answered shortly.
It had been a month since their wedding. Levi and Gab were living it up in Cabo, and I was struggling with my second start up. I was currently working out of borrowed office space, but was moving into the startup I just bought next week.
And of course, I thought to Emilia every day, just like in the beginning. It took me one night to go crazy for her, one month to find her, three weeks to fall in love with her. And now a month of torture for doing so. I felt like shit.
Yeah, the wedding almost fell behind. But it worked out in the end. I hadn’t thought she would stay, if she really needed to go…
She blamed me. She looked at me like she hated me. I told her I love her, and she left.
I know what she said. She can’t sacrifice her business and I respect that. But it was still very…unsettling. She must not love me too. I have always been intense, but I knew I loved her. When she wasn’t around, it’s like I can’t breathe. And I can’t think. The only reason this business is going well is because it was a welcomed distraction.
Otherwise I couldn’t sleep. I ate less. I looked ten years older.
I had called her every day since then. Sometimes twice a day, then three, and then so much it goes straight to voicemail. I started calling on the office phone. She answered the first time and hung up when she heard my voice. I think I cried for the first time in years when that happened. I mean, she hung up right in my face. She was angry and I thought she hated me. When you love someone, that hurt more than anything.
She doesn’t answer the phone. And I just wanted to know how she is, let her know I support her. It’s why I sent those girls to help her the day of the wedding. And when nearly everyone at that wedding asked about a florist, I send them her way.