Page 102 of Objection to Love

“Wrong… as in how?”

Em sighed. “I shouldn’t have broken up with him.”

“Well, yeah, I could have told you that. But what made you figure it out?” His easy grin made it hard to be annoyed with him. But she was still beginning to be.

She’d spell it out then. “I’m in love with him.”

“Well, would you look at that?”

Em frowned. “What?”

“That. Did you hear that, Garrett? She's in love with you. You can stop moping now and kiss and make up.” He didn’t say this to her, but over her shoulder.

Slowly, the heat on her neck already confirming who was behind her, Em turned.

Garrett stood just outside the screen door, a suitcase in one hand, and the door handle clutched in the other. He was watching her, and it made her stomach flip. Slowly, he opened the screen door, stepping inside.

He seemed to take half the air with him.

“I’ll just leave you two to it, then. I’ll be in your room with headphones in if you need me.” He started to walk backwards from the room. “Please don’t need me.” And he winked at Em before disappearing down the hall.

Garrett just kept watching her. His expression was unreadable, and it didn’t seem like he’d be starting the conversation.

“Ummm… hi.” Four years of college and three years of law school andthatwas what she came up with.Hi.Humiliating.

He dropped his suitcase and closed the door but didn’t move. “‘Hi’ is nice, but I’d like to back up a bit. I feel like I missed something.”

“What, you think the I lov—” she choked on the word. “You think my conversation with Noah wasn’t enlightening enough?”

His eyes crinkled. Just a little. But she could see her Garrett underneath the serious façade. “Not at all,” he said. “Start from the beginning. If you don’t mind.”

“Well… I left you a couple messages.”

“I lost my phone at the airport.”

“So I heard.” She was still sitting, turned to look at him over the back of the loveseat. She shifted awkwardly.

“What did the messages say?”

“That I wanted to talk… more or less.” Em prayed those texts could never be recovered.

He lifted his hands, palms up. “I’m here now. Let’s talk.” And finally, he walked into the room and took up Noah’s spot on the couch, looking up at her.

It was now or never. And never wasn’t an option. “I was wrong. I was so wrong. I didn’t realize how screwed up my priorities were when we broke up, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But I grew up in a career-centered world, and I just thought—well, you already know what I thought because you were the one to tell me. You and April. And Natalie. Mr. Standson too, really. Oh, jeez, I’m not explaining this well.”

A hint of the smile she had missedsomuch started to creep onto Garrett’s face. “No, not really,” he said quietly.

Em took a steadying breath. “For the number of times I’ve thought about this conversation, you’d think I’d be doing a better job.”

“I’m willing to give you another chance.”

Em rubbed the side of her neck, unable to keep her hands still or her eyes on his. “How about five? Because I may need more than one chance to get through this explanation.”

“No, Em. I mean, I’m willing to giveyouanother chance. To give us a chance. More than willing, really.” He chuckled, seemingly at himself. “If I hadn’t been out of town, I probably would have been begging you to give us another chance…” The last traces of his laughter disappeared as he met her eyes. “You killed me when you broke up with me. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.”

“I’m so sorry I hurt you,” Em whispered.

“I forgive you.”

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