Page 107 of Love or Leave

"No, he didn't," Adam said.

"See?" Cara said, tipping her chin up.

"He's living with his parents."

Cara stopped, and her face fell. "He is?"

"He gave up both apartments and moved in with them," Adam said. "Temporarily."

"Why?"

Adam nodded. "He's buying a place, asked if I could inspect it for him."

Cara’s heart stopped. "What about his old house?"

"It’s up for sale. There’s a sign already on the front yard. And he's not in the same place he was when you met him," Adam said. "Mentally, I mean. Or physically, too, I guess."

"Oh," Cara said, her mind whirling.

"So we'll move that to the pros side," Willow noted, continuing, "and another pro—you love him."

Cara sighed, remembering his touch and how calm and happy he made her feel. "I miss him."

All that came from Chelsea was an endearing, "Awww…"

The pros were definitely stacking up. Maybe Cara was being too hard on him. If Max could forgive him and move on, why couldn't she? Probably because she was scared. Breakups were hard, and she didn't want another broken heart, especially from someone she loved as much as Antonio. But she also wanted to be with him.

It was probably worth the risk. She knew she wanted to be with him—just the thought of it made her feel lighter than air.

"I think I can move past the event horizon," Cara said.

She was met with silence, and when she looked at her friends, they all had confused looks on their faces.

It didn't matter. She missed Antonio. She loved him. And if he'd gotten closure and moved on, leaving his old life behind, why shouldn't they give things another shot?

Even Max thought she should—and that was telling.

She turned around and pulled on her boots.

"Where do his parents live?" she asked.

thirty-four

Antonio walked into the front door of his parents' house and gently closed the door behind him. It was late, and he knew his dad would already be asleep down the hall.

He should probably go to bed and get some rest, too. But the sting of rejection was keeping him awake and alert. The night hadn't gone as he'd hoped, but it had gone as he'd expected.

As much as he would've loved Cara to run into his arms and reciprocate his love, he knew it was a long shot. He'd fucked up badly, and it was going to take a lot to prove he'd left all his baggage in the past. He needed to figure out his next move.

He walked into the kitchen and found his mom sitting at the table in the corner, working on a puzzle. She startled when he walked in, then rolled her eyes at herself.

"You're home? How did it go?"

He shook his head and turned to the fridge for something cold to drink. When he'd come home after speaking to Fran, he unloaded everything on his mother, including his relationship with Cara. He also told her that “the girl from the party” was thelove of his life, and he was ending everything with Fran to be with her.

His mother had been skeptical, to say the least, and slightly disappointed Cara wasn't Italian. But he made her promise she'd treat Cara better than she'd treated Fran, and his mom nodded and apologized.

His mom stood from the table. "I'll make something."

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