Page 7

“Explain?” My fingers twitch at my side as my frustration wells up. “Explain what? That you wasted four years of my life?”

The words tumble out before I can stop them. And just like that, the heartbreak returns.

“Stop.” His eyes falter for a split second. “It wasn’t a waste, Amelia.”

No. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t let him see you like this.

“You know I loved you but…” he adds, rubbing the back of his neck.

His words fade for a moment as my gaze drifts to the familiar curls that still rest above his thick brows, the same ones I used to twirl between my fingers when everything felt perfect. His tawny skin still glows, just like before.

I hate that I still see him this way. Like I’m wearing rose-colored glasses, only letting myself remember the gentle parts of our relationship. The warmth. The moments that make it hard to stay angry.

Why can’t I hate him? I always tell myself I do, but look at me now. Still reminiscing. Pretending to be tough while every part of me aches.

“Loved me?” I let out a shaky, bitter laugh. “Yeah right.”

“It’s the truth, but I guess in the back of my mind…” He swallows, his eyes flicking away from mine. “I always knew you weren’t really mine.”

“Bullshit!” I take a step closer, not caring that my voice is trembling. “I was completely in love with you. Fully committed. Unlike you.”

“I know, I know but?—”

“But nothing. You could’ve just broken up with me,” I snap. “Instead, you chose to sleep with someone else and blindside me for a whole month. Did I mean that little to you?”

I wasn’t expecting this. The last time I was this close to him was the night we went out to dinner, before everything went to shit. I can still feel the heat of his hands on my skin, the way he kissed me, only to turn around and do the same with someone else.

“No!” he blurts, panicked. He starts to reach for me, then catches himself, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I just want to apologize. Now that you’re back, I can finally tell you something I’ve been trying?—”

His words cut off, eyes shifting past me.

To someone.

“You really think it’s a good idea to talk to her after what you did?” Caleb’s voice is low and rough as his hand slides around my waist to shift me behind him.

Oh no.

“I’m trying to apologize. Not that it’s any of your business, Hayes,” Jared snaps.

My brows pull together. It’s like someone grabbed the remote to my life and hit pause so I can have the time to process what’s going on.

“When it comes to her feelings, it is my fucking business,” Caleb hisses through clenched teeth. His eyes never waver.

My head whips up to him. The blue vein in his neck is thick, prominent, as if at any second it’s going to burst.

“Hey babe, have you seen my phone?”

The sound cuts through me like a knife. Maroon painted nails loop around Jared’s arm and my heart stutters.

She’s stunning. Short ginger hair, flowery dress, platform heels. She flashes us a bright, cheerful smile, completely oblivious to the chaos she’s walked into.

Is this her? Is this the woman he cheated on me with? Does she know who I am?

My eyes lock onto their hands, now intertwined.

Jared must notice because he clears his throat, gesturing toward her. “This is Kim, my girlfriend.”

Girlfriend.

The simple word punches me right in the gut. It shouldn’t hurt like this. I should be over it by now and get it together. But the sting is sharp and deep.

“Oh!” She gives us a small shy wave. “Hi.”

“Hi.” I say with a tight-lipped smile. “Well, we have to go but we’ll see you two at the wedding, yeah?” I wrap my hand around Caleb’s bicep, tugging him toward the sidewalk, wanting to get out of here but he’s solid like a brick.

Caleb stays rooted in place, his gaze solely on Jared. A muscle in his jaw ticks like he’s holding something back. A punch? A yell? I can’t tell. But the way his chest rises and falls tells me he’s barely keeping it together.

Jared exhales loudly, holding Kim’s hand tighter as they turn toward the cafe. Before stepping inside, he glances back and our eyes meet. “See you guys there.”

The words hang heavy in the air. This conversation isn’t over. I can feel it.

The walk back to Caleb’s car feels longer than it should, each step heavier than the last. I find myself walking a little ahead, trying to wrestle my emotions into something more manageable.

Then, a gentle tug at my wrist jolts me to a stop. “You okay?”

I stare at the ground, shaking my head. No. I’m not. I allow myself to tell the truth for once.

He’s silent, then ducks his head to meet my eyes. “Talk to me.”

I sink my teeth into the inside of my lip, every emotion bubbling up to the surface. “Seeing him felt like reliving that day all over again.”

Warmth seeps into my cheeks as Caleb cups my face into his hands as he listens intently.

I sigh. “It just makes me question things about myself. Like the fact that I wasn’t good enough…maybe that’s why he did it.”

Was I doing something to annoy him in our relationship? Was I too much for him?

Caleb’s expression hardens, his jaw clenching as he shakes his head.

He leans down, his voice low, meant only for me. “You didn’t do a damn thing. You hear me? Don’t you dare blame yourself. It’s not your fault he couldn’t see what an amazing woman he had right in front of him.”

“But why do I still feel the same?”

“There’s no set timeline on healing.” His calloused thumb brushes along my chin. “Four years isn’t nothing. That kind of pain doesn’t just go away. Give yourself a little more time.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. There’s no set timeline on healing.

He’s right, like always. He has this way of making me feel seen, heard, and cared for. Truly my anchor.

After spending this past year apart, I’ve come to realize I can’t imagine going a day without him anymore.