"You are not broken!" He growls.
"I can't give you everything you want, Eric. I can't be that girl for you!"
I'm basically screaming at this point, the tears pooling in my eyes fast.
"I just want you," he grits. The muscle in his jaw clenching so hard I'd swear he could cut glass with it. "You are everything!"
"You want a family, Eric. You want kids, and I can't be a mother. I'm not like Hanna."
He gently tilts my head up with his finger. "You're right. You aren't like Hanna. You're you. You're you, and I wouldn't change that. You can be a mother if you want to be. We can have everything we both want. We can have it together."
I exhale a shaky breath, "You don't understand. I can't have kids."
A lump lodges itself in my throat. I should've just kept my mouth shut because I don't like the way he looks at me. It's an equal mixture of disappointment and sincerity.
"See, I told you. I can't be what you need."
He stares at me for a long time before he positions both of his hands on my shoulders. "It doesn't matter, Jolene."
"It doesn't matter now," I huff. "What about down the road? What about when you see a little kid in the grocery store and wish that it was yours? What about then?"
His fingers begin to dig into my biceps, yanking me in quickly to his body while I sob into his shoulder.
"You aren't broken," His gruff voice is quiet in my ear. "You are everything I need. You are all I need."
I meet his gaze, and the absolute certainty in his eyes scares me. Sure this was about Hanna. About how I could never fully be happy if she didn't accept this. If she wasn't by my side every step of the way but the other part of me was afraid that the only man I've ever truly loved would resent me someday.
I couldn't live with that.
I loved him too much.
I wanted him to have everything.
My voice is hoarse as I push out of his arms, "We can't be together."
His expression doesn't falter, "We can."
"At what cost? Losing my best friend? Have you resent me later down the road for things I'll never be able to give you? No, Eric. This doesn't end well. Not in any scenario I can think of."
"Then tell me right now that you don't love me. Tell me!" He yells, causing me to jump. "Tell me you don't love me, and I'll go. I've walked away from what I thought was love once. I can do it again. I'll do it again if that's what you want."
I stand there in shock. He's never been so angry or upset. At least not in front of me. I step back defensively out of habit.
I say the only thing that can be said. "I don't love you."
His hands fall to his sides, and his face is stoic. He backs away, struts to his truck, and simply drives away.
I fall to the ground, my entire body going numb as the gravel digs into my knees. My body violently shakes, and I feel my mom's arms envelop me. I've never been hurt like this before.
Once again, I was choking on all the words I didn't say.
CHAPTER 30
ERIC
An entire week slips by without so much as a peep from Karly. I can’t even hide the pain. I haven’t stopped thinking about her for one second since I left her. I miss her voice, her lips, and her smile. I missher.
Maybe I pushed too hard, too fast. Perhaps I should’ve been more patient and let things play out slowly. I could’ve let her work things out with Hanna and approached the situation afterward. I could’ve…