Imogen moves into my main room.
I call on my conviction, but it evaporates the second her dark eyes meet mine. There's only thing I want.
To erase the pain on her face.
She's so fucking hurt and I'll do anything to stop it.
"I'm sorry." She wipes a tear away. "This isn't how this is supposed to go."
I move toward her.
She meets me in the middle of the room. She lets me wrap my arms around her. She sinks into my touch.
"I'm sorry," she says it again.
"You don't need to apologize."
She shakes her head against my chest. "I do. You lost her and I'm freaking out."
"It's okay."
She shakes her head into my chest again. "I'm a mess. I tried to warn you. Or maybe I didn't. I'm not good at this."
"Everyone's a mess."
"I came here to end things."
"I know."
"But I don't want to," she says.
"I don't want you to."
"I just… I can't explain, Patrick. I'm sorry. I wish I could. But I can't be the person you need."
"How do you know what I need?"
She pulls back enough to look at me.
"I decide what I need," I say.
"But…"
"And I need you, Imogen. I do."
"But—"
"No buts. I care about you. I want you in my life. What else matters?"
ChapterThirty-One
IMOGEN
Iwant you in my life. What else matters?
The words are on the tip of my tongue.
The truth is so close.