Page 151 of All We Need

When he reaches for me, an excuse on the tip of his tongue, my hand remains firmly on his chest, stopping him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”Irepeat.

Booth stays calm. “Whatwas the point?It’sa silly daydream that would never happen.”

That hurts.Mychest aches because he didn’t want to tell me, but also from his self-deprecation. “Right.Soyou were never going to tell me, is that it?”

“Aly, are we really arguing about this?”Hiseyes drift to the cuckoo clock. “I’mnot spending the last few hours we have left together fighting.What’sthe big deal?”

Frustration laces my veins.Myarms rise at my sides. “Thebig deal is that you don’t trust me enough to tell me thatmyfamily’s business offered you a job.”

That riles him up. “You’rekidding?Ofcourse,Itrust you.Iwouldn’t be here ifIdidn’t.”

“Apparently not enough to share that tidbit of information.”Ishake my head. “Iget you’re scared.Truly.Butcan you honestly stand there and tell me you’re going to be happy in five, ten, twenty years?”

“It’s not about my happiness,” he mutters, voice weighed down with so much it’s hard to pinpoint a single emotion.

Worry creases his brow whenIremove my hand and step back. “Trustworks both ways.Iwas protective of mine for good reason.WhenIwas ready to give you it,Ihanded it over wholly.Butyou haven’t given over all of your trust to me, or you would have talked to me.”

His head falls back and he groans. “That’snot fair.”

My bag thuds at my feet asIpull out today’s outfit. “Itisn’tfair.Whatyou’re doing to yourself isn’t fair.Anddo you know whatI’vejust realized?”

He waits for me to fill in the blank.

“You don’t trust yourself, let alone me.Youdon’t trust your family.Notthe way they expect you to.”

He falters, mouth hanging open as he searches for his argument.Itdoesn’t come.Whenhe notices me changing, he shakes himself out of his stupor. “Whereare you going?”

I slip on a pair of black cigarette pants and a fitted cream sweater.Mymovements are rigid, but ifIstop,I’llwant to touch him. “Itrust you more thanI’veever trusted anyone.Youcracked me wide open, took a hold of my trust, and protected it like the most precious thing in the world.I’llnever be able to repay you for what you’ve done for me during my time here.”

Panic has him snatching my purse off the bed, clutching it to his chest. “Yourflight isn’t until this evening.Youcan’t go.”

“I was always going, andIthink it’s best thatIgo now.”Ireach toward him. “Pleasedon’t make this harder than it is.”

“Silv, c’mon.Whyare you doing this?”Histone is pleading, but it’s the sadness in his eyes that guts me. “Youpromised me all of you.You’restill mine for a couple more hours.”

My lip trembles andIbite down hard to stop it. “Youhad all of me.”Withhim momentarily stunned,Ipull my bag from his grip. “Butyou didn’t give me all of you, and that hurts,Booth.”

In the blink of an eye, my bag is flung back on the bed, andI’mencased in his smoky scent.Booth’sarms band around my back, holding me prisoner in my favorite cage. “Please,Aly.Don’tleave like this.”

His shattered voice is a kick to the chest. “Ihave to.Youknow this.Weagreed.”Ireturn his embrace, hugging him so tight his breath catches. “Ifyou ever learn to trust yourself,Ihope you find the courage to leave too.Itdoesn’t mean you don’t love your family or are risking your dad’s legacy.Beingselfish is brave.”

An ocean-sized space sits between us whenIbreak away.

“I’ll never forget my time inSuttonBay.Oryou,BoothSadler.”

He collapses on the bed.Eyesand body crushed.

BecauseIcan’t help myself,Ibend and press my lips to his cheek, fingers following.

“I’ll text you whenIland inNewYork.”Myfingertips stop at the corner of his mouth.Theyhover over where those godforsaken dimples sit.

“You’d be amazing at whatever you put your mind to.Iwish you saw that.”

I collect my things, order a cab, and use the bathroom.Allthe while,Boothsits on the bed, motionless and silent.

WhenIemerge, he’s gone.

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