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Chapter 16
Trevor
It was a long night, and it feels like it’ll be an even longer day. Zane keeps pacing around in front of me, trying to counter every reason I bring up.
“I want her gone,” I say to him and ignore the light ache in my chest that arises each time I think of Gracie leaving.
It’s the right thing to do,I tell myself.
Last night, I almost gave into the selfish part of me that wanted to cling to her and never let go.I can’t do that to her.Sending her back to Golden Bay is the right thing to do.
I’ve held onto the fear of turning out like my father for so long, and everything I’ve done is all because I don’t want to hurt her.
“We can make it seem as if she’s returned to her life in Golden Bay, and I can take trips to visit her there often, but I just … I need her out of this house.”
I didn’t think this through.I should have known having Gracie this close would be the death of me. I never forgot about her, or the hint of passion in her eyes every time I got lost in them.
Gracie has helped me a lot over the past few weeks. She got the media to see me in a different light. Everyone wants a good love story, and we’ve sold that.
But it hurts to want her so much and now I can’t let myself have her.I’ve seen what love does, even to the purest of hearts. I can’t let that happen to me.Or her.
“I told you, man, it doesn’t matter how we got here, what matters is that we are, and you can’t pull out now,” Zane says to me as I lower the dumbbell in one hand to the ground, then swipe a hand over my forehead.
I’ve spent the entire morning trying to work my muscles to exhaustion, and since I’m keeping my weight off my foot, I sit for most of my upper body programs.
“I don’t know how much of this I can take,” I tell Zane. Every second I spend with Gracie drives me closer to the edge and makes it impossible to stay away from her.
“You started this, don’t forget,” Zane reminds me. “When I came up with the idea of a fake romantic relationship that will helpthe fans root for you, you said you had the perfect woman for the task. You made it possible for her to agree to this with your whole hospital stunt, and you brought her to New York. Why do you want to back out now? Why do you think…” Zane trails off when we hear the door creak a little. “Is that you, Gracie?”
I stiffen when she enters my gym room and looks from Zane to me. She’s paler than ever, and her eyes hold the sting of hurt as she asks, “What hospital stunt? What are you talking about?“ I can tell that she is directing her question at me, even though she’s staring at Zane.
“Gracie …”
“I need you to tell me the truth right now. What did you do?”
She looks at me, and her eyes narrow, making their green depths even more piercing.
“Back in Golden Bay, I saw two girls trying to get a picture of us at the hospital, and I could have stopped them, but I let it happen and told Zane to help make those pictures go viral with rumors of us being together. I did it to help convince you to agree to my ruse.”
“What?” she croaks.
“Gracie, wait…”
“You manipulated me!” she cries out, then shoots me a pained look that makes my heart sink even further. “You knew I’d feel obliged to help because I was entangled in this mess anyway, so you did that to rope me in. How could you?”
“Gracie, just listen to me.”
“There’s nothing you can say, Trevor. You’re not charming your way out of this one. I was on your side. Amid this entire ordeal, I was on your side, and I chose to stand by you because I know you. Deep down, I know who you really are. At least, I thought I did.”
She turns away from me, and I forget about the pain in my ankle. I rush after her without hesitating, but she’s already marching towards her room.
“Gracie, wait, I thought it was the only way that’s why I let it happen. I knew you wouldn’t agree to this farce without a little push, and I really needed you.”
“You really needed me?” she thunders as she spins around to look at me. “That’s your excuse?”
My eyes soften a little even though hers stay cold and cut through me. “And what about now? You don’t need me anymore, so you’re just gonna ship me back to Golden Bay? You just discard people when it’s convenient for you? When you’re done with them? You don’t want me here. You can’t let yourself love me and …”
Her words fade away as I pull her to me and silence her with a kiss. Gracie’s words roaring around me is to blame for this. I can’t help myself or deny my passion for her any longer. I press her to my body, and she whimpers before parting her lips for my hungry kiss.