Page 146 of Love Sick

I open my private message with her.

Me:wtaf

She doesn’t answer.

Grace

MARCH, YEAR 2

The right thing is never easy.

We wereso closeto something good and it all went to hell.

Protecting Julian is the right thing, but it’s shredded me. I’m cut deep. Bleeding. My world is shattered, and I’m walking barefoot over the jagged remains.

The high of him was so wondrous, it shouldn’t surprise me that the crash is an untamed inferno of sorrow and torment.

No escape.

Life without Julian Santini is my own personal perdition.

I really did love him, didn’t I? Still do, I guess. I tried so hard not to fall for him, but the pervasive magic in his blood has called to me since the moment I met him. Even now, my attention drifts to him when he’s near.

He ignores me, and I can’t blame him for it. He’s in self-preservation mode.

I’m the person who broke his heart. Why would he spare me a glance?

I need out.

The weekend after our fight in the stairwell, I book a Saturday flight home and spend four hours in the air reliving every moment with him.

Can you promise me forever?

What if I could?

Would he? If I told him I wanted forever, would he give it to me? Could I trust it?

Matt promised forever, too…

But Julian is nothing like Matt!

My stifled tears turn into ugly sobs when I reach my mom’s arms. She rocks me on the airport sidewalk until the officer yells at us to move. On the forty-five-minute drive home, I spill everything. She listens without any interruption except to hand me tissues and whisper, “Oh, honey.”

“So that’s it. I broke up with him.”

She nods and glances in the rearview mirror before changing lanes. “I take it neither of you are happy about that decision?”

I shake my head. “But it’s the right thing.”

“Okay,” she says, remaining neutral. “If you’re sure.”

I narrow my tear-filled eyes at her. “What does that mean?”

“It’s just—are you sure you’re not using this as an excuse to beg off before he has the chance to hurt you?”

I turn away to stare at the car beside us. “Maybe. I love him, but I don’t want to go through that again. I don’t want to be hurt again.”

“But that’s what love is, honey.” She glances at me. “Giving someone a weapon to hurt you and trusting they won’t use it.”

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