Page 83 of My Treasured Obsession

What is your heart telling you right now? —Layla

That I can’t lose him. —Gabby

Even though I feel like I already did. —Gabby

And I hate myself for hurting him. It was never my intention. He means so much to me. —Gabby

Do you want to be with him? And not just as ‘friends’? —Anna

Be honest with yourself, Gabby. —Anna

I closed my eyes and put my phone down.

The writing had always been on the wall and I was purposely not wanting to see it because the possibility of my past catching up to me and all my shortcomings was too strong. To Hunter, I was perfect. Selfishly, I wanted to remain that way in his eyes, not wanting to taint the image with my romantic relationship flaws. I thought that staying friends could keep us in the safe zone, but we’d long since left that territory. It was evident that after last night’s exchange, I had nothing left to lose.

And if I was being honest with myself, then yes, deep down in my soul, there was a part of me that craved to be more than friends with Hunter.

Sure, I had issues and fears about falling in love. Sure, my ex had hurt me in bad ways. But none of that should stop me from taking another chance on myself, on Hunter, and on the possibility of us, right?

For so long, I kept a chain locked around my heart, never allowing anyone access to the real me. All because I was afraid of getting burned again.

But what was life without a little bit of risk?

If there was anyone who would take good care of me, it was Hunter.

In his own ways, I realized that Hunter, over the last few weeks, had been showing me with his actions and words that he was capable of treating me the way I deserved. Whether it was driving me to and back from school. Whether it was taking me on a long walk to get a reprieve from my situation. Whether it was taking an interest in my hobbies. And everything else in between. He was always there for me.

I never stood a chance against this sweet, beautiful man with a heart of gold.

The night on the terrace was the catalyst that pushed everything into place. Our meeting was no coincidence. Fate had been conspiring, orchestrating its magic from the beginning by throwing us on the same path. Now I needed to trust what the universe had in store for Hunter and me and right all my wrongs by undoing the unintentional hurt I caused him.

Mamma said good communication was the foundation of any strong relationship, so I was going to be brave and talk to him again. Even if it was the last thing I did.

Because I refused to lose him without a fight.

The time alone with my thoughts awarded me more mental clarity and after what felt like an eternity in a quandary, what I needed to do became abundantly clear.

Picking my phone up after another hour of self-reflection had passed, I sent my reply to the girls.

Yes, I want to be with him as more than friends. —Gabby

The truth is Hunter makes me happier than ever and I can’t keep letting the past hold me back, right? I know in my heart that Hunter will never hurt me and only have my best interest in mind. —Gabby

It was liberating to admit it.

I could practically feel both my best friends’ pride beaming from my phone’s screen.

Atta girl! —Anna

Now we’re talking! —Layla

We can all agree he’s the furthest thing from that asshole Franco. Hunter’s a safe bet, Gabby. —Layla

I have a feeling that he’ll give you everything you deserve. Take a chance on him, Gabby. You won’t regret it. —Anna

I was so glad I had this conversation with Anna and Layla. I’d just needed to confide in them and make more sense of my thoughts. The verdict was that Hunter was a walking-talking green flag and I would be foolish to let him slip through my fingers. Especially when I harboured such deep feelings for him, no matter how hard I tried to fight those emotions.

I owed it to both of us to give us this chance. We would be good for each other. Now I just had to tell Hunter that I was sorry, that I would do anything to make things right between us, that I wanted him the same way he wanted me, and that if he took a chance on me, he wouldn’t regret it.