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Gus: I’m sorry, Mer. For everything.
His text brought tears to her eyes, and she couldn’t bring herself to reply. She was confused and wanted answers. She deserved to know why he had ended their agreement so abruptly. But first, she needed a meal, a bath, and sleep to give her a clear enough mind to form a plan.
Maybe if Gus had all the facts, if he knew she loved him, things would be different. There was also a chance that it wouldn’t change a thing, but it was a chance she was willing to take. She only wished she had told him before he’d done something so drastic.
THIRTY-SIX
For the past two days, Gus had been moving through a fog. Without Merritt in the house, everything seemed meaningless, and he was beginning to wonder if he should’ve ignored what he’d heard and let things go on as they had been. At least then she would be with him.
But that would’ve been selfish. He knew better now. He understood what it meant to put another person’s feelings above his own. He finally knew what it felt like to fall in love, and he loved Merritt too much to make her stay in a marriage she didn’t want to be in. No matter what they’d agreed to.
If only he hadn’t heard them talking and remained oblivious for the rest of the year. But the end was inevitable, whether it happened now or months from now. He still would’ve had his heart ripped from his chest when she left, so it was probably best that he got it over with.
As soon as she had signed the papers, the urge to bawl like a baby had nearly overwhelmed him. But he’d held it inside until she left, until he could get to his car, where he let the tears fall.
Secretly, he’d been hoping she wouldn’t sign, that she’d say it wasn’t all a mistake, that she wanted to stay with him. She had clearly been upset that he’d decided without asking her first, but he was sure that had to do with their friendship or him being controlling or something.
What he’d asked of her was preposterous, and he had made it right. And now he needed to make things right with his family.
His stomach was queasy and knotted up as he drove to his parents’ house. Once he told them the truth, his chances of getting back into the family business would be slim to none. He only hoped they would respect his confession.
He was also determined to do whatever he could to shed the very best light on Merritt. She had developed a relationship with his family, and he didn’t want her to look bad in their eyes.
When he pulled up to the house, Skylar’s car was in the driveway, and a wave of relief flowed over him. He hadn’t told her what this was all about. She would probably be upset at first, but he knew she would have his back. He hadn’t told Adelia yet either, but she said she’d come over to talk when he returned to Malibu later that night. Their support would be needed to get him through all this without falling back into old habits. Although, the thought of drowning his sorrows at the nearest bar and taking a random woman home left nothing but a bad taste in his mouth. Just the thought of other women felt like a betrayal to Merritt. She was the only one on his mind and would be for a long time.
Gerard greeted him with his usual kind manner and directed him to the family room.
What he found there—or rather whom—knocked the air out of his lungs.
Merritt stood next to the fireplace, alone in the room. She looked so beautiful, and he fought the urge to go to her and take her in his arms.
“Hi,” her sweet voice greeted him.
“Mer? What are you doing here?”
“I hopped on a flight home after you texted me.”
“What about your meetings?” He took two steps closer to her.
“I postponed them.”
A few more steps toward her. “Why?”
“Because I love you, Gus, and I can’t let you do this to us.”
His stomach flipped at her confession, and his heart beat rapidly in his chest. “You love me?”
She nodded with the prettiest little smile on her face.
“But … you told Adelia you didn’t want to be married to me anymore.”
Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. “How do you know that?”
“I overheard you talking in the barn.” He looked guilty. “I didn’t mean to.”
She huffed. “If you’d listened to our whole conversation, you would’ve heard me say that I didn’t want to pretend anymore, that I wanted to be married to you for real and have a real wedding and—”
He was across the room in three more steps, taking her face in his hands, and capturing her mouth with his. The feel of her lips against his, returning the kiss, no more pretending … it was the greatest moment of his life.