Page 41 of When You Were Mine

Tipping his forehead to the cold window, he closed his eyes.

He’d fucked up so badly.

He guarded his personal life fiercely, so only three people knew the truth about Cole: the man who’d raised him for two years, Trevor’s agent, and Cole himself.

He couldn’t wait to explain it to Elzy. It wasn’t what she thought. Not even close.

But first, he had to end things with Darby.

He pulled out his phone and texted her.

Trevor: Where are you?

He waited for an answer, but nothing came.Fuck it.He’d go find her. But just as he turned around, the door opened.Thank fuck, you’re here. But he didn’t say it because Darby looked shattered. “Hey.” He met her in the middle of the room. “You all right?”

“I just talked to Emil.” She kicked off her heels, set down her key card, and crawled into the unmade bed. “I saw your expression, you know? The way you looked at Jessica, the way you ran after her, and I knew she was more than a high-school friend.”

He nodded. “Much more.”

But she wasn’t really talking to him. She was lost in her own thoughts. “And it made me realize how I do the exact opposite. You face your fears, and I run away. That’s something I really admire about you. You’re willing to fix things—even when it might hurt. Like with your son. You’re brave, and I want to be brave, too. So, I waited for him to finish his interview.” Her gaze snapped over to him. “Just for the closure, of course.”

He couldn’t let her think they were going through with this marriage. It might hold her back from her own reconciliation. He stood at the edge of the bed. “Darby, that woman? She’s not just an ex. She’s the love of my life.”

She went still. “Jessica’s your great love?”

“Yes.”

She drew the covers up to her chin. “Emil was mine.”

Yeah, he got that. “I can’t marry you.” The way she flinched told him he could’ve been less blunt. Should’ve eased into it. But he wasn’t in subtle mode. He was all fired up, and he knew they had to deal with this issue head-on. “I’ve had a lot of fun with you this past month, but seeing Jess made me realize I’m only stepping into your life to avoid building one of my own.”

“But this couldbeyour life. We’re a great team.”

“Maybe, but you’ve already got your path. I haven’t found mine.” He wouldn’t tell her he’d found his when he was four and saw a girl doing a monster dance outside the feedstore.

My path is Elzy.

He’d known it all his life. He’d just never allowed himself to embrace it because it wasn’t what a man did. He’d been raised to work hard and provide for his family. His dad used to say, “A woman needs to feel safe. If you want to win her heart, show her you can provide for her.” His dad’s definition of a man was someone who led the family, put food on the table, and cared for his community.

And it was such a reasonable,goodperspective, how could Trevor have questioned it? Falling short meant he was a selfish asshole. So, he’d tried—so fucking hard—to live up to his dad’s vision. But all along, the truth kept whispering around him.

My path is Elzy.

And the truth of it got slammed home yesterday when, just by being near her, he had the first sense of peace, ofhome, he’d felt in thirty long, lonely years.

“I’ve been at loose ends since retiring.” How did he explain what he was just beginning to understand? “Without the structure of a filming schedule, I don’t know my place in the world or within my family. And the idea of joining up with you seemed…well, it was a relief. You have a mission, a passion… I admire you. But Elzy’s here. And I’m not going to let her get away a second time. I’m going to do everything in my power to win her back.”

“I’m not sure it works like that,” Darby said quietly. “There’s a lot of water under the bridge.”

“Right, but that’s because we never talked. Which means she’s made up a story from the bits and pieces she’s heard over the years. Now, I have the chance to explain my side and listen to hers. She needs to know I never stopped caring about her. I never wanted to lose her.”

“Trev, sit down.” She patted the bed.

He couldn’t do that. He was too amped up. Too desperate to see Elzy. To make her understand.

“I’m the woman who got left behind,” she continued. “So, I’m here to tell you, her experience isn’t the same as yours.”

“What do you mean?Youleft Iceland. Not Emil.”

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