Page 61 of The Fate of Us

“Please Anna. It was a mistake,” he begs.

“You seem to be having a lot of those ever since she showed up on your doorstep,” I seethe.

“She means nothing to me.”

“And I don’t think I do either.”

“You mean everything to me,” he says as he tries to grab for me.

“Not enough.” My voice breaks.

“Anna, I love you so fucking much. I can’t live without you.”

“I’ve heard that before, Noah, and guess what? That man didn’t mean it either.”

He looks at me with the saddest eyes I have ever seen and I almost go to him, wrap him up in my arms and forgive him for it all. But I don’t.

“So this is it? This is the end?” he asks as a tear slides down his handsome face.

I love this man. I love him so much and I don’t know if I can step away. “I don’t know.”

“Please, I am trying to make this right. I don’t know what she is doing here. Let me figure this out.”

I look at my watch. I need to be on the road so I can get to Nashville in time. “I really just don’t know, Noah.”

“I’m not him, Anna. I won’t do to you what he did.” Noah’s voice grows stronger.

The thing is I know he isn’t Kyle. I know he won’t cheat on me. He won’t go back to her. I mean it was just a kiss. A kiss I can tell is tearing him apart inside. Yet I can’t find it inside of me to let it go.

My hand goes to the necklace around my neck. The one he gave me just twenty-four hours ago. The thought makes my eyes burn as I head to the stairs.

“Anna, I am begging you. Don’t end this. Not now.”

I turn and look at him, my heart begging me to take his side. But my head has other plans for me. I remove the necklace from around my neck and place it on the dresser by the doorway.

I walk downstairs without another word. Too afraid that if I stay any longer I won’t leave at all.

I head to my music room and grab my guitar and sheet music. I look around it one more time, wondering if it will be the last time I step in it.

When I make my way to the door, Noah is standing there my suitcase in his hand. “Let me carry this to the car for you.”

I nod, walking past him as he holds the door open for me.

I put my guitar in the back seat as Noah puts my suitcase in the trunk.

I open the door to my car and Noah stops me, wrapping me in a tight hug. “I’m going to make this right, Anna. I promise you that.”

I let him kiss my forehead before sitting in the driver’s seat. He waves at me as I pull out of the drive and head down the street toward the highway. Toward my dream. Although I am not even sure what my dream is anymore.

I make it around the corner and pull over bursting into tears.

I only hope I can fix my heart in Nashville.

20

Noah

I rollover in bed and turn off my alarm. It’s just past six in the morning. I should get up and go for a run before heading into the precinct but I haven’t been able to find the energy. Hell, I have barely slept since Anna’s been gone. I think I finally fell asleep due to pure exhaustion just after four in the morning.

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