“You’ve been different lately. Will you tell me what’s going on?”
Duncan looked away for a moment and then back at her. “Nothing’s wrong. I’m just dealing with a situation.”
“What kind of situation? For business?” she asked.
“No, this is personal.”
“So, it does have to do with me.”
The array of emotions that flew across his face made her queasy because the main ones were sadness, anger, and one very close to giving up. She couldn’t take it another moment.
She took several steps away from him and whirled around. “Why didn’t you leave me in Columbus?” she screamed. “I was making a life for myself, and now I have to start over again.”
He looked shocked. “Bullshit. Your place is with me.”
She shook her head. “Not anymore.”
“What are you saying?” he asked.
“I want to leave. I’m setting you free.”
He wiped a hand down his face. “Tell me why.”
“Are you kidding me? Stop talking and let me pack a bag.”
“I want to know why you think you can leave.”
“Because I don’t belong here.”
“Fuck that. This is exactly where you belong.”
“I won’t push anyone to be with me if they don’t want, and you couldn’t have been more evident if you had yelled it.”
“What the—”
He was interrupted by the doorbell. “Fuck. You wait here. We’ll talk about this when I get back.”