Ashley nodded and glared at me like I’d done something wrong.
Bella set off down the path toward the lake. The sun had just started its descent, so there was still plenty of light in the sky. I should have kept my distance and not followed, but I rarely heeded my own warnings when it came to Bella.
Do not go after her, give her space.
“I’m going to talk to Bella about a change in the schedule tomorrow,” I mumbled, ignoring the fact that everyone was watching me chase after her.
Oh fuck. This is a bad idea.
It didn’t take me long to find her standing under her favorite tree.It reminds me of my mom,she’d once told me. Our moms had brought us kids down there to play in the lake when we were younger. The small beach, shallow shore, and flat grassy area shaded by trees was the perfect spot to spend the day with six little ones.
“I figured I would find you here,” I murmured, hoping that a lighter tone would maybe make our conversation easier.
But her spine went rigid at my words. She turned, crossed her arms, and scowled at me.
Shit, she’s pissed. I knew this was a bad idea.
“And now you can leave. I want to be alone. If I wanted company, I would have said so.”
“I just wanted to check on you ’cause you seemed upset.”
“Right. But wasn’t that your goal? To hurt me yet again?”
“That wasn’t my—” I began, but she was quick to cut me off.
She held up her hand like she didn’t want to hear what I had to say. “You know what? I don’t care. You want to marry someone you don’t love? Fine. Frankly, it’s none of my business.”
Now it was my turn to be angry. Itwasnone of her business, but how did she know I didn’t love Sarah? I mean, I didn’t. Truthfully, most days, I didn’t even like her all that much. It had been casual when we started, and I’d just never gotten up the nerve to end it. Jackson had been giving me shit for two months about how theflavor of the weekwas only meant to last a week, not three fucking months.
But I wasn’t going to tell her, of all people, that. So I mirrored her stance and crossed my arms across my chest as I snapped out, “What makes you think I don’t love her?”
“Because you don’t look at her the way…” she started, but then her face paled, and her lips formed a tight line.
“The way… I look at you?” I let my arms fall to my side, my hands itching to reach out and pull her tight into me.
I can’t. We can’t. Things just don’t work between us.
Her shoulders fell, and her gaze dropped to the ground.
Fuck. I want to hold her so badly.
“Actually, I was going to say the way youusedto look at me.” When she brought her eyes back up, there was a light sheen of moisture gathering in her large hazel eyes. “You should be with someone who makes you happy, but you shouldn’t marry someone out of obligation—and I think you should get a paternity test.”
Wait, what? Why the fuck would I need a paternity test? The conversation had gone in a direction I wasn’t prepared for, and I had no idea how to respond.
“I know it’s none of my business, but Sarah has a reputation, and you know it. Deep down, I know you’re questioning whether that baby is yours.” She closed the space between us and placed her hand on my chest, causing my stomach to lodge in my throat.
Shit. I cursed the fact that her touch still held power over me.
“I think,” Bella continued, “it would be a good idea if I took some time off and went to stay with my dad for a bit.”
She quickly brushed past me and made her way to the path leading back to the house, but before she got too far, I called out, “Bella, wait. Please don’t walk away.” Something nagged at me; there was more we both needed to say.
“That seems to be our dance, though, doesn’t it? One of us is always walking away. I can’t hope any longer that one day we both stay, can I?” She turned and continued her walk up the path.
Once Bella was out of sight, I dragged both palms down my face. “Fucking hell,” I yelled, rubbing at the ache in my chest, becausedamn,did the truth in her words hurt.
But what did she mean? Had she been hoping for things to change between us? I shook my head in an effort to clear those thoughts. And yet, I knew in my heart it didn’t matter now.