Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98736 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
What is it that my father used to say? “The hard choice is usually the right choice.” I hate that logic, but I fear he might be right.
This is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I’m going to break both of us. She won’t understand that I’m doing this for her, but I am. She needs him. She might think that what we have can convince him, but she didn’t hear him tonight. He’ll never approve of us.
It doesn’t matter that I love her so completely I don’t know who I am without her. It doesn’t matter that there isn’t a man on this earth who could love and cherish her the way that I could. All that matters is I’m not what he sees for her, and he’ll fight for her to get the life he thinks she needs.
He doesn’t seem to care that it might not be the life she wants.
The stairs creak, and I tense. I know it’s her.
A minute later, she’s sliding into bed next to me. I pull her close and breathe her in. My heart hurts. Am I having a heart attack? I’m only thirty, but this pain, it’s more than I can bear.
“You’re warm,” she mumbles, snuggling closer.
“You cold, baby girl?” I whisper. My voice is thick with what I’m about to do.
“Not with your arms around me.”
Fuck. I close my eyes and will myself to find the strength to do what I know needs to be done. It’s more than just breaking our hearts. She’s my best friend. I love the guys, and they will always be at the top of my list, but for me, my number one spot is Emerson. It will always be Emerson, and I don’t know how to move past that.
How do I give up my heart and my best friend?
I hold her for a long time. We’re both quiet, but neither of us is asleep. “I can feel the tension in your body,” she finally whispers.
“I talked to your brother earlier.”
“Yeah, it looked pretty intense. Monroe and I started to come back to the living room, but we decided whatever it was you were discussing needed to be aired.”
“He’s never going to accept this. Accept us.”
“He has to.”
“He won’t, Em. He told me he would never let you settle for this small town, and any man in it. He flat out told me he didn’t know a single man good enough for you.”
“That’s not his choice to make.”
“I told him that. He said you would never be with someone he didn’t approve of. Emerson, I can’t be the reason the two of you have a divide.”
“What does that mean for us?”
“You know what it means, baby girl.” My voice quivers, and I swallow hard, fighting back the emotions threatening to overtake me.
“When?”
“The longer we stay together, the harder it’s going to be.”
It’s already hard as fuck. Do I even know who I am without her?
“I go back to school on the second of January.”
“I know.”
“Can we wait until then?”
“Yes.”
“I hate this, Roman. I hate he has this kind of control. I want to be with you. Forrest will have to learn to deal with that.”
“And when he doesn’t?”
She’s quiet. I don’t need her words because I know what that would do to her.
“He won’t, Emerson. You should have heard him, baby. He’s adamant that he didn’t do enough for you. I think the two of you need to talk.”
“No. He’s taking you away from me.”
“Baby, he doesn’t know that he’s doing that. He doesn’t know we’re together. We’ve been hiding this behind his back, something I’m sure will send his pissed-off meter to maximum levels if he were to find out.”
“He’s not my dad.”
“He’s not, but look at it from his side. He raised you as much as he could. Every weekend since you were eight years old, he had you staying with him. He bought this house to give you the home that the two of you never had. He may not be your father, but he feels responsible for you.”
“He’s not.”
“I know.” I press my lips to her hair. “There’s also the fact that I’m ten years older than you.”
“Do you feel it? The age difference when we’re together?”
“No.”
“Not even when we… you know, mess around?”
“Not even then. I know you’re inexperienced, but you come alive for me, Em. I don’t feel or see the difference. I know it’s there, but when we’re together, it’s just me and my girl.”
“I like being your girl.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
“Maybe we take a break?” she suggests. “I’ll get through graduation, and when I move home, we can maybe try this again?”
“I want nothing more, baby, but he’s not going to change his mind. Hell, he told me he’d rather see you move away and marry a doctor who will spoil you rotten.”