Page 40 of My Best Friend Prince Charming

All that time. Writing the fan fiction together. Hanging out in the clubhouse in Ryker’s backyard. My mind was officially blown. I’d known he’d recently developed feelings for me, and that he’d been crushing on me for a while. He'd admitted that much already. But this was something else entirely.

And I didn’t know how to process this new information. He was staring at me expectantly. Oh, shoot. Did he expect me to tell him I loved him back? I definitely wasn’t ready for that. But I didn’t want to hurt Ryker either. “I don’t know what to say,” I admitted. “I’m pretty shocked.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” Ryker kissed me on the forehead. “I’m not here to pressure you to say anything you’re not ready to say.”

Relief washed over me. Ryker hopped up from his dining chair. “I’m going to get another root beer.” We’d ordered up the glass bottles of root beer that Ryker loved.

A text message dinged on Ryker’s phone and flashed up on his screen.

George:For now, lay low with your relationship with Shannon.

My breath caught. What had Ryker told him about our disastrous night that would make George say something like that? My head began spinning with the endless possibilities of how I could have failed Ryker. But before I could travel too far down that toxic rabbit hole, another text flashed up on his screen.

George:She’s not good for your image. It’s better if you’re seen as single.

I wasn’t good for his image? Was it my fault that I’d fainted? Or that the paparazzi were so vicious? And now I was ruining his future just by existing.

Ryker came back with his root beer, taking a long swig from the bottle before setting it down on the glass tabletop with a clink.

“This really isn’t going to work between us, is it?” I asked.

“What are you talking about?” Ryker’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“I’m breaking up with you.”

“What?” Ryker stood up and turned to me. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No. It’s not you at all.”

“Is it because I told you I’ve been in love with you for years? I knew I shouldn’t have told you that. I just made everything weird between us.”

“It’s not that, Ryker. I’m just not good for you. I see that now.”

“Where is this coming from?” His eyes were frantic.

“Our lives are too different. We used to make sense, but nothing about this makes sense now.”

“Everything about this makes sense to me. Do you know what doesn’t make sense? Living in this world without you in the center of it.”

There was no way I could get Ryker to understand what I was trying to say. So I told him, “That’s my final decision. You told me you’re not here to pressure me. So please respect that.” Even if we did find a way to lay low, George would want Ryker to look single to all his fans. Because as long as he was available, they could dream that they had a chance with him. And that meant he would be swarmed with more girls than ever. And I would have to stand by and do nothing about it.

And I knew my heart couldn’t handle that, because it was already too invested. Because I was in love with him too. The last thought hit me like a jolt of lightning.

I was in love with Ryker. That meant I had to take extra care to protect my heart now. And I couldn’t let him know how I felt. Because then he’d try to talk me out of leaving, and I couldn't let that happen. It was too risky. I’d been hurt by Austin cheating. I’d been hurt by Dad leaving. I couldn’t handle losing Ryker too.

But it was too late for that, wasn’t it? I was going to lose him either way.

He was going to be swarmed by girls. George himself said it was best for his career to appear single, and if Ryker knew I was in love with him, he would want to be with me. I couldn’t let him destroy his career like that.

I had to leave. For myself and for Ryker.

I just had to get through the rest of this trip. I would throw myself into my writing if I had to. I was getting close to finishing, and my story was coming along better than I’d hoped. Ryker had his dream and I had mine. We just needed to focus on that and go our separate ways.

It was the best decision for everyone involved.

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