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Chapter Forty-Three

MACKENZIE

I followed Fallon down the street, yelling for her to stop, but she didn’t turn around.

She ignored me for almost four blocks before I finally started to catch up. I couldn’t let her walk away from this, away from us, without at least trying to explain. I had to get her to talk to me—away from Rebecca.

“Fallon, stop,” I said, out of breath, grabbing her wrist to pull her to a stop when I caught up with her.

She stopped walking and wrenched her wrist out of my hold. As she faced me, tears were flooding down her face. “Engaged, Mackenzie? I can’t believe you never told me! Did you know she was my ex? Is this some sick joke to get back at her for cheating on you? And don’t even get me started on what the fuck just happened back there! After everything I told you, everything she put me through. You promised you wouldn’t hurt me.” She shook her head and took a step back. “You promised Caleb,” she whispered.

Hearing her mention her brother, and the genuine hurt in her voice, made me want to cry right alongside her. I never meant for any of this to happen. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with her, with her family. I should’ve told her about Rebecca from the start. Maybe things would’ve been different.

“I’m sorry, Fallon. I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt you. I love you. Please, just let me explain. I swear, I had no idea she was your ex. She just showed up out of nowhere.”

The hurt in her eyes was enough to break me. I couldn’t take it, so I had to look away.

“Explain what? Why you didn’t tell me you were engaged? Why you kissed her, knowing I was coming over? How could I have been so stupid? I don’t want to hear another excuse.” She wouldn’t look at me.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about being engaged, okay? I wanted to forget that part of my life, but I should’ve told you anyway. I don’t want any secrets between us.”

She scoffed. “It’s a little too late for that now, isn’t it?”

“Sunshine, please?—”

“Don’t.” She cut me off with a sobbed laugh. “Don’t you fucking dare call me that.”

“I’m really sorry. Please, just look at me and let me explain.”

Our eyes met, and she scowled, crossing her arms. “Okay, explain why you didn’t tell her you had a fucking girlfriend, Mackenzie?” The hurt in her voice was unmistakable.

“I did, Fallon. You heard me tell her.”

“Yes, I heard you. After. After you kissed her. You let her believe you were single and ready to be taken when you kissed her. You knew I was coming over. Is that why you asked me to pick up dinner?”

I shook my head, looking confused. “What? No, of course not. I didn’t even know?—“

“Was that your plan the whole time? Did you want me to catch you with her, so you didn’t have to be the one to break things off for whatever reason? Well, congratulations, Kenzie. It worked. You got what you wanted.”

“This is not what I wanted. You are what I want, Fallon.” I tried to take a step toward her, but she closed her eyes and shook her head, tears falling down her face.

“Just stop, please. I can’t stand to look at you or be near you. I can’t believe I let myself trust you.” She wrapped her arms around herself and took a few steps back.

“Sunshine, please—” I started to walk toward her again, but she stopped me with one hand.

She scoffed, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Sunshine? Fucking Sunshine. I’m not your Sunshine, Mackenzie. Not anymore.”

“Don’t say that, please. Just let me explain. I didn’t kiss her. Well, I did… I mean, she kissed me, but I didn’t kiss her back. She?—”

“Save it! This is exactly why I said we should’ve stopped after the first time we slept together. I knew I would get hurt again. I knew we would be a mistake!”

I stumbled back a step, feeling like she’d punched me in the gut. I knew where she was going, and I didn’t want to go there.

“Fallon, don’t,” I started.

“No, Mackenzie, I can’t. I just… I have to say this, please.” She paused and took a breath before continuing, “From the second I thought about kissing you in that elevator, I knew it would be a mistake. And then, after we kissed, I knew for certain. I kept telling you that, Mackenzie. But somewhere along the way, I fell for you, and I stopped thinking about the reasons we shouldn’t be together. I wanted to make those mistakes because I hoped I’d stop seeing them that way. I knew anything between us would be a mistake, but I made them anyway because I trusted you. You made me feel like nothing and no one else mattered. Like, when you looked at me, I was the only person you ever wanted to see. I never knew what that kind of love felt like until I found you.”

She played with a string on her sweater, and I wanted to do anything to erase the sadness radiating off her. She was walking away from what we had, and there was nothing I could’ve said to stop it.

I had to hold back the tears as she continued shattering my world with just a few words. “Out of all the mistakes I’ve made in my life, I didn’t expect my biggest one to be falling in love with you, Mackenzie.”

“Fallon, please…”

Her gaze never wavered as she broke my heart. I missed the softness in her eyes—the love I once saw there. Now, all I could see was mistrust and anger.

I did this. I broke us. I broke her. And my punishment was watching her slowly lose the love she once had for me. I deserved it.

She took a step closer and raised her arm, as if she was going to touch me, but she thought better of it and pulled back. “First Cara, and now Rebecca? I can’t do this. I won’t be anyone’s second choice—not anymore. Goodbye, Mackenzie.” She met my eyes for the briefest moment before turning and walking away.

“Fallon!” I yelled after her, but she didn’t stop. She kept walking—right out of my life.

I stood there for what felt like an eternity, watching her walk away, hoping she’d turn around. She never did. I stayed until she disappeared around the corner.

Eventually, I made the long walk back home, but I stopped before reaching my building. Rebecca was standing on the front steps, staring at me. I took a long, steadying breath before walking up to her.

“That was a dramatic exit, don’t you think?” She smiled and I swore I could’ve smacked it off her smug face.

I rolled my eyes. “Go home, Rebecca. This isn’t a game. I meant every word.”

“Don’t be like that, Kenz. Now that she’s gone, we can go back inside and?—”

“Enough, Rebecca!” I took a step closer, my voice steady with resolve. “Jesus! I just lost the best thing that’s ever happened to me, all because of you. Listen closely—since you clearly didn’t hear me the first time—we are done. There will never be anything between us again. Even if I lose Fallon for good, you’ll never take her place. Do you hear me? Leave. Now.”

She took a step back like I threw a punch at her. “Wow, Kenz. After everything I’ve done for you? Whatever. Good luck with her.” She rolled her eyes and finally walked away.

I went back inside and slammed the door. The sound must’ve cracked something inside me, because as soon as it closed, the tears started pouring out, and I couldn’t stop them.

I lost her. I lost Fallon, and I didn’t think she was ever coming back. I stood at the peephole for what felt like hours, waiting for her to return.

My calls went straight to voicemail, and my texts remained unread. I didn’t know why I expected anything different, but I had to try. I would’ve done anything to fix what I broke.

I couldn’t believe she was gone. How could I have been so stupid? I should’ve sent Rebecca away the minute I opened my door and saw her.

Accepting defeat, I dragged myself to bed. I lay there for hours until I finally found sleep, which didn’t last long.

I kept waking up throughout the night, feeling like something was missing. I’d reach over to the other side of the bed, hoping to find Fallon still sleeping safely next to me, only to feel an empty space beneath my fingers. I was all alone, and that’s how it would stay. It was what I deserved, anyway.

Eventually, I had no choice but to let the darkness consume me, and I cried myself to sleep.