Wyatt poured tea into the three cups, eyes barely leaving the girls. Kylie took the mug Wyatt offered her with a grateful smile and Mia accepted one as well, again out of sheer politeness, before the three of them settled into an awkward silence.
“What happened, Ky?” Wyatt asked again after Kylie took a few sips. They both had visibly calmed down, Kylie seeming more occupied with Mia’s presence than with whatever had upset her.
“Gustav.” Kylie twisted her face, tears springing to her eyes.
“The cook?” Wyatt frowned, a look of disapproval settling on his features.
“He wanted to move to Paris, work in the best kitchens in the world, or some shit like that.” Kylie rolled her eyes. “Asked me to come with him so we flew in together last week, then this morning I caught him balls deep in a waitress.”
“So, you just got on a plane and flew halfway across the world for a guy?” Wyatt’s tone was beyond scolding, it was bordering on disappointment.
“Mom did that for dad.”
“Mom and dad knew each other their entire lives, they were best friends, you’ve known Gustav for four months,” Wyatt answered with a sigh. “Did you even bother learning his last name before upending your life for him?”
“It’s not like I bought a one-way ticket, I flew in with him for one month to see how it would feel.” Kylie wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I just wanted an epic love story, I thought he was the one.”
“You always think they’re the one, Ky.” Wyatt slumped back in his chair running his fingers through the unruly mass of dark blonde hair on his head. “Not everyone gets an epic love story.”
“That’s true,” Mia said, her gaze meeting Wyatt’s.
“Oh.” Kylie looked between them mortified. “I really did show up at the worst time, didn’t I?”
“No, your timing was perfect,” Mia assured her with a sad smile, placing her untouched tea back on the table. “I’ll leave you two alone now.”
“Mia…” Wyatt started, only to stop when she turned to look at him. “I’ll walk you out.”
“It was nice meeting you, Kylie.”
“You too, Mia.” Kylie caught Mia’s hand between both of hers. “I hope I’ll get the chance to see you again when I’m less of a sordid mess.”
Mia forced a smile, the lump in her throat preventing the well-mannered reply she’d been programmed to give. She extracted her hand from Kylie’s grip and walked to the door with Wyatt at her heels, every step a new kind of torture.
“Mia…” Wyatt started, reaching out to touch her hand.
“You two seem to have a deep connection.”
“Twins.” He shrugged, hesitating before dropping his hand to his side. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.” Mia shook her head, forcing herself to meet his tortured gaze.
“I got carried away.” Wyatt took a step forward, cupping her cheek. “I freaked out and I did something horrible and I amsosorry. I never would have doneanythingto hurt you.”
“Hurting each other is all we seem to know how to do, mon Bête.” Mia closed the gap between them and briefly pressed her lips to his. “You have so much more than a brute in you, Wyatt, just not for me.”
“That’s not true,” he whispered, pulling Mia close and breathing her in. “I’ll come by a bit later and we’ll work this out, together.”
“Don’t come over.”
“Mia,please.” The way Wyatt’s voice cracked at that last word was almost enough to break Mia’s resolve. She ached to tell Wyatt it wasn’t his fault, that she was simply unlovable, and the painful truth was that she would never recover from the inevitable day where he, too, would realize she wasn’t enough and turn his back on her.
The epiphany threw Mia off balance. She couldn’t afford to let Wyatt any deeper into her heart.
“Don’t come over,” she repeated, stepping away from Wyatt’s touch. “Don’t call me, don’t try to convince me to recant. Like you said—we had an arrangement. That’s all this was, and according to the terms of our deal, that arrangement is now over.”
Wyatt stood and stared at Mia, the vein in his neck throbbing fast and hard as his breath left him in short pants.
Mia forced herself to stand erect, make it clear she had the last word.