Page 14 of Rejected Heart (The Westwoods #5)

I held my hands up in surrender. “I appreciate you doing it, though.”

A slow smile spread across her face. “You’re welcome. And it wasn’t any trouble, really. I just tossed some things in these bags before I left the house. They aren’t my reason for being here now.”

My brows shot up. “Oh? What’s going on?”

She opened her purse, dug her hand inside, and pulled out a stack of envelopes. “A bunch of mail came for you throughout the week. I think most of it is junk, but the one on top arrived yesterday. I found it when I went through the mail last night. That looks important.”

I took the stack from her, expecting all of it to be junk mail, but my lungs stopped functioning when I took in the handwriting on the envelope on the top. I’d recognize that handwriting anywhere.

Dropping the rest of the mail on the counter, I clenched that one so tight in my grasp that it began to crinkle.

“This is her,” I declared, an edge of disbelief in my tone.

“I had a feeling.”

Unable to wait another second, I tore open the envelope and pulled out the folded sheet of paper.

Dear Liam,

I’m not quite sure where to begin, but I couldn’t allow another day to go by without writing to you.

It’s been difficult to get through the days knowing how badly you must be hurting after how I left.

Please know that it was never my intention to cause you any pain.

If there is one thing that I could change in all that has happened, it’s that.

I would do anything to stop you from feeling an ounce of heartache.

I’ve spoken to my mom, and I know you’ve been in touch with her.

In fact, I sent this letter to her. It was fully sealed, addressed, and ready to send to you.

I included it with a note to her to send it to you after she called me.

I’ve told her where I am, doing it only with the promise that she doesn’t share that information with you right now.

I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear, but I’m begging you not to ask her where I am.

She’s my mom and deserves to know where her daughter is, but I don’t want her to feel like she’s stuck in the middle.

When I’m ready, I’d like to be the one to share those details with you.

I’m sorry, Liam.

I’m sorry if this isn’t what you expected. To be completely honest, it caught me off guard, too. But I’m where I need to be to do the things I’ve got to do. I’ve even made myself a list, so I can cross those things off as I accomplish them and get myself one step closer to coming back to you.

I want you to know that I’ve gotten all your calls. I’ve listened to your voicemails. I’m sorry that I just can’t bring myself to call you back. Please don’t take that to mean that I don’t love you. My love for you is precisely the reason I can’t call.

Because I can’t be there with you right now. And I know that if I call you back, I’ll hear your voice and come running back to you. I guess that’s probably what you would want. Truthfully, it’s what I ultimately want, too.

But not now.

I need time.

And I’m hoping you can find a way to give me that time without hating me for leaving you like I did.

I promise to reach out to you soon. Maybe by then, I’ll have more to share.

All my love,

Layla

How it was possible to feel such immense relief and devastation all at once made no sense. But that was exactly what I felt .

This letter.

It granted me both a hint of a promise as well as fear. It seemed Layla wanted to come back, but she just needed time to sort some things out. In the same breath, the love of my life didn’t want me to know anything about her right now. Not where she was, who she was with, or why she left.

How could I just go on like it didn’t matter to me? Like I didn’t wonder every day about her?

“Liam?”

Until I heard her voice, I’d forgotten that my mom was even standing there. I lifted my gaze to meet hers, instantly noting the worry in her features.

“Is she okay?”

I shrugged. “I guess.”

“What did she say?”

I went on to give her a brief synopsis of Layla’s letter before I let out a frustrated sigh.

“I know I should be grateful to have received this, but it feels like nothing in the grand scheme. I’m happy to hear from her.

Really, I am. But I just want her here. I want her back.

And she won’t even tell me where she is or why she didn’t want to marry me. ”

Disappointment washed over her expression as she rounded the counter and moved toward me. My mom wrapped her arms around me, holding me tight. “I’m so sorry, honey. I know how much you love her, and I can only imagine just how difficult this is for you.”

Tears filled my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. “I miss her so much.”

“I know you do. We all do. But at least this is a step in the right direction. Give it another week or two. Maybe you’ll get another letter.”

I didn’t know how I’d last another week or two without hearing from her. I’d likely spend the time between now and then reading this letter over and over. “I don’t want another letter. I want her.”

My mom’s arms tightened around me. “I know. Maybe that’ll happen. She said she needed some time. Another two weeks will be a month. It’s possible that’ll be just enough time for her figure things out.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Her hand stroked reassuringly along my back. “Me, too.”