Page 116 of Impossible Love

Cal makes the decision for both of us. He turns on his heel and walks out my door.

Chapter 61

Victoria

No.

No, no, no, no. I can’t let this happen. I can’t let Cal leave! What have I done?

Suddenly it’s clear to me. I will take the risk. He loves me. I love him. And that is the only decision that matters.

I bust out my door and turn the corner just in time to see the elevator doors close. I nearly smack into two very large men I somehow didn’t notice.

“Whoa!” One of them steadies me.

My eyes move to the embroidery on their shirts. It’s the piano guys. “It’s in there—door’s open.” I point down the hall toward my condo. “I have to go.” I head for the elevator bank and start slamming my palm against the buttons.

“Wait! You need to sign, Miss Backlund!” One of the men runs toward me with a clipboard. I sign my name, but it looks more like an EKG readout. Good enough.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon. Shit!” I bang on the button again. Why did I move into a building with twenty-five floors? There were plenty of nice condos not this high off the ground. The doors open. “Yes!”

I watch the numbers as I go down. Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen.

I close my eyes, saying a prayer to the elevator gods to please, please, please have someone waiting on every floor for Cal’s elevator while this one rockets straight down to the lobby.

Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve. Eleven.

Ding!

Oh, no. No, no, no, no. I think I’m hyperventilating. Three spectacularly dressed older women enter the elevator cabin, chatting away about their grandchildren’s accomplishments. One is in a junior orchestra. Another is a gymnast.

I don’t have time to hear whatever the fuck the third one is up to.

My hand begins pummeling the buttons as soon as they clear the doors. The ladies go silent behind me. I feel their eyes burning into the back of my head.

I turn to them. “I’m chasing a man.” My voice sounds breathless, panicky. “I can’t let him push me away. I’ve got to get to the lobby before he leaves. I love him. He just told me he loves me, too, and I just stood there like a complete idiot and let him walk out of my life! What have I done?”

All of them remain frozen, staring, until one of the ladies starts bashing the heel of her palm on the down button as a show of support.

“Thanks,” I say.

Eight. Seven. Six.

Ding!

“No! This can’t be happening!”

The doors open to two attractive men in their thirties. Before I can do or say anything, another of the ladies behind me screams, “Get the next one! This is an emergency!”

The men back away, more than happy to steer clear of us.

“Appreciate that,” I say, looking over my shoulder.

“I let the right one get away once.” It’s the third woman speaking, her voice creaky with regret. “I was twenty-five. Stupid as the day is long. I thought there’d be others just as good or better. I still kick myself.”

Lobby!

I’m bouncing around on the balls of my feet like Jasmine.

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