Page 139 of Steel Beauty

She shakes her head, a faint, bittersweet smile curving her lips. “I’d love that, but I don’t have time.” Her eyes flick toward the clock on the nightstand. “I need to get up soon to get ready.”

Her words are like a chime marking the passing of the last moments we have together. They pull us closer to the goodbye I’ve been dreading since the day we met.

Magnolia shifts slightly, and looks at me with a quiet sadness I feel down to my bones. “I’m going to miss this––mornings… waking up next to you. I’m going to miss everything.”

Her laugh is quiet, shaky, as if trying to mask the emotion behind her words. “I didn’t think it would be this hard to leave.”

I reach out, my fingers brushing against her skin. “This doesn’t have to be goodbye. We can make this work. It could just be a… see you later.”

Her smile falters, her gaze dropping to the space between us. “You’ll eventually move forward with Soul Sync. The new Australian crew will find your match…your wife,Alex. Staying in touch would only make that harder for both of us.”

Her words hit me like a blow, sharp and final. I don’t have an answer for her—not one that will make this any easier. All I know is that the thought of her walking out that door today feels unbearable.

My chest is tight. I can’t breathe.

“I don’t know how to let you go. It’s worse than I imagined… so much worse.”

Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and for a moment, she doesn’t speak. Then, slowly, she shifts closer, wrapping her arms around me. Her body trembles slightly against mine, and I realize she’s crying—silent, shuddering breaths that break through the stillness. I pull her tighter, my bare skin against hers, desperate to hold her together even as I feel like I’m coming apart.

Her forehead presses to mine, her breath warm and uneven. Neither of us speaks, as though words would only ruin this fragile connection. Her fingers clutch at my shoulders, her grip firm and unyielding like she’s holding on to something she knows is slipping away.

Finally, she pulls back enough to meet my eyes. “I have to get up.” Her words tremble as much as her hands. Maybe more. “The shuttle will be here soon.”

I nod, the ache in my chest almost unbearable, but I force myself to let her go. She slips out of bed, her movements slow and deliberate, like every step toward the inevitable is heavier than the last.

I follow her into the bathroom, leaning against the counter as she gets ready. My eyes never leave her, trying to commit every detail to memory. Pulling on my jeans and shirt, I glance at her, wondering how to make the most of these fleeting minutes.

The sharp ring of the phone cuts through the quiet. She glances at me, her eyes filled with sorrow, before turning back to zip her bag.

I answer the call, forcing a calm I don’t quite feel. “Yes, hello.”

“This is guest services. We’ll be up shortly to collect your luggage.”

“Thank you.”

I set the phone down, the ache in my chest growing heavier.

Magnolia’s gaze meets mine, her sadness matching my own. We’re running out of time, and it feels like the universe is mocking us, pushing us closer to what we can’t avoid.

Lightly coughing, I try to clear the lump in my throat. “I have something for you.”

I cross to where my jacket hangs over the chair. From the inside pocket, I pull out a small velvet box. Her brows knit with curiosity, her gaze drops from my face to the box in my hand. She doesn’t speak, her eyes searching mine as I step closer and hold it out to her. With a slightly trembling hand, she takes it, her fingers brushing against mine briefly before she opens the lid.

Her lips part, a soft gasp escaping as her eyes land on the delicate necklace inside. Three diamonds glimmer in the light, their placement both simple and striking.

“Each diamond represents one of the months we’ve had together. The smallest is for the first month, when we were getting to know each other. The second, a little larger, is for the second month, when I was falling in love with you. And the third, the largest––” I pause, meeting her gaze, “is for this last month. Because that’s when I knew I loved you.”

Her fingers graze the necklace, her touch reverent, as though she’s afraid it might vanish if she isn’t careful. She looks up at me, her eyes shimmering. “Alex… it’s beautiful,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “Will you put it on me?”

I nod, taking the necklace from the box. The soft brush of my fingers against her skin as I fasten the clasp sends a jolt of something bittersweet through me. The pendant settles against her collarbone, catching the light just right, looking like it was made especially for her.

Because it was.

She turns toward the mirror, her fingers reaching up to touch the necklace lightly. Her reflection meets mine, her expression full of gratitude and something deeper—something that feels like a promise. “I’ll never take it off.”

When she turns back to me, her hand still resting over the diamonds, her lips curve into a trembling smile. “Thank you. This means more than I can say.”

I cup her face, my thumbs brushing over her cheeks as I hold her gaze. For a moment, we stand there, the world outside fading away. It feels like a piece of me will stay with her, no matter where she goes.

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