Page 58 of Marry Me…Maybe?
The future. Her bright, shiny future.
It had all turned to dust.
10
Theo didn’t get out of bed for two days.
He hoped she’d call or just turn up on his doorstep in her usual carefree manner – even if it was only to return an article of clothing she’d borrowed from him – just so he could see her again.
God, he missed her.
But he knew she wasn’t coming back. She didn’t love him – not enough to fight for him anyway. She’d made that clear.
He actually ached inside from the misery of it.
Finally, on the third day, he pulled himself together and got up and took a shower, barely feeling the stinging hot water on his numbed skin.
He’d just got himself dressed and padded downstairs to make himself an extra-strong cup of coffee when there was a loud knock at the door.
His heart leapt into his throat, making the pounding in his head from two days’ worth of caffeine deprivation double in intensity, as he pictured Emily’s beautiful, remorseful face in his mind.
Racing to the door, he yanked it open – only to have hisstomach sink to the floor at the sight of his mother standing on the doorstep.
She frowned at him, apparently surprised by his appearance. ‘Theo? Are you all right?’
The very last thing he wanted was to have to explain himself to his mother.
‘Are you and Emily engaged?’ his mother asked, her brow arched and the look in her eyes intent.
He folded his arms across his chest. ‘No.’
She frowned and her face seemed to fall a little.
Odd.
‘Then why did it say that in the newspaper?’ she asked tersely.
‘Because there was a miscommunication.’
‘A what?’
‘They misreported it, Mother.’
‘Right.’ She nodded once, then gave him an expectant look. ‘Well, aren’t you going to let me in?’
He sighed. But he couldn’t very well turn her away from her own house.
‘Yes. Come in. I was about to make some coffee. Would you like some?’
‘I’ll take a tea, darling. I don’t touch coffee. It gives me a headache, remember?’
‘Yes, of course.’
Shewas givinghima headache.
In the kitchen she accepted her drink with a grateful nod and took a sip before turning her attention on him again.
‘So where is Emily now?’
