Page 47 of Pillowtalk

Daniel said he just dropped her at the train station…Chelsea’s message started, followed byAaron, I’m so sorry.

He blinked, the screen of his phone blurring as his head spun. It was lying; she wouldn’t leave. Not Jared. Not him.

His hands started to shake, and he tossed his phone, worried he might break it. Charlie pushed against his elbow, most likely sensing Aaron’s panic bubbling to the surface. His heart was a wild beat in his ears, his mind a swirling vortex of unanswered questions. He buried his face into his palms, blowing out breaths in a sore attempt to calm himself.

You knew she’d leave,he tried telling himself.You knew that she wasn’t going to be here forever.

But…he’d been hoping that he could talk to her before this happened. He hoped that, maybe, they’d make that decision together. Eventually.

Charlie rolled again, a soft whine piercing through the room, and Aaron, having lost all his patience, whipped his head around and scolded, “Notnow,boy—”

His harsh tone cut off, and luckily the pup hadn’t noticed Aaron’s temper slip. The husky rolled again, making a soft crinkle that Aaron hadn’t noticed amid the loud pounding of his pulse in his head. He pulled at the white corner sticking out from under his dog’s back and brought out a thick, folded note that had his name scrawled across the folded front.

Aaron,it started, and his eyes moved over the loopy handwriting, his anger and confusion dissipating with every word, replaced by a savage blade that tore through his chest, and by the time he reached the end, his body was left a broken and shattered mess. He gulped against the pain, but it only sent a sting through his throat. His shoulders slumped and he let the note fall to the floor at his feet.

This time when Charlie nudged at his hand, he put it on his dog’s belly and rubbed defeated circles across the fur, the only comfort he had left.

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