Page 76 of Keeping Skylar
“How were you hurting, Heath?” I quickly interrupt him. “You weren’t the one being cheated on!” I shout, my voice echoing loudly against the walls of the small room.
He steps towards me in a flash, startling me for just a moment, but I stand firm, holding my ground. “You want to know why I cheated, Skylar?” he says, his jaw tight, voice low and strained.
“What reason could there be to cheat on someone, other than sheer selfishness?”
He scoffs bitterly, his frustration building. “I cheated on Tasha because throughout our entire relationship, she was fucking my cousin, Liam!” he fires back, his voice trembling with raw anger and hurt.
I jerk back, eyes widening in utter shock. That’s the last thing I expected him to say. A half-smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, knowing he’s completely rendered me speechless. “I tried to end things with her as soon as I learnt the truth, but she refused to let me go. She kept threatening to hurt herself if I ever left. I stayed far longer than I should have, feeling trapped, manipulated and completely hollow. Eventually, in a moment of desperation, I slept with someone close to her, just once. It was that act that finally led her to end our relationship,” he explains while holding back the tears welling in his eyes.
Fuck. Now, I feel like such an idiot. Why didn’t I just hear him out? Why did I jump to conclusions and accuse him of being like every other cheater—like Kaden? God, I’m such an insecure bitch. Before I can apologise, he cuts me off and continues.
“I never told you because it was a part of my past I wanted to leave buried,” he says, slipping his hands into his pockets. “It was a painful reminder of what happened when I opened my heart to someone. So, I chose to forget it and move on. I’ve never even told Hannah, because they’ve been best friends since kindergarten.”
Even after everything Natasha put him through, he still shielded her from his sister’s wrath, knowing that Hannah would end their life-long friendship in an instant if she found out. God. I don’t fucking deserve him.
Heath holds my gaze, pain flickering in his eyes. “You know, Skylar, after all the time we’ve spent together, I thought you’d know me well enough to trust that I’d never betray you.” He lets out a harsh laugh. “But I guess I was wrong.” With a resigned sigh, he turns and walks towards the door.
“Heath, wait!” I cry out.
He pauses, his hand hovering just above the doorknob, shoulders stiff and unmoving.
Taking a deep breath, I walk towards him until my front brushes against his back. I let my fingers graze his arm softly before taking his hand in mine, and turning him to face me.
Tears shimmer down his face, and my heart tightens with guilt.
“Heath, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. I never should’ve reacted that way. I should’ve trusted you. I should’ve come to you first instead of jumping to conclusions. Please know that I do trust you.”
Overcome with shame, I cover my face with my hands, sobbing as the hot sting of tears burn my cheeks. “Oh God, I’m such a bitch!” I can’t even bear to look at him. I’m so ashamed of myself right now.
Moments pass when I feel strong arms wrap around me. Heath pulls me close, pressing me gently against his chest, surrounding me with his warmth and familiar, comforting scent.
“I’m not mad at you, baby,” he whispers, “I can never be mad at you. There’s nothing to forgive because your anger came from a place of hurt and pain, so I understand you, Skylar. I understand because I know what betrayal feels like. I know how it feels not to trust so easily.” He steps back and cups my cheeks with his hands, the pads of his thumbs gently wiping away my tears. “The only thing that hurt me, was knowing you were intentionally avoiding me. I’ve been looking forward to seeingyou all day. I couldn’t wait to hold you and kiss these lips again.” His thumb grazes my bottom lip.
Without hesitation, I grip the back of his neck, bringing his lips crashing into mine. His arms encircle my waist, pulling me firmly against him as I kiss him with everything I have.
Just minutes ago, I was on the verge of ending things with him, letting my ignorance and quick judgements cloud my thoughts. I unfairly placed him in the same box as Kaden, even though Heath has never given me a reason to doubt him. From the very beginning, he’s been nothing but kind, patient, honest, and respectful. So, it makes no sense to accuse him of being a liar and a cheat.
Heath senses my guilt, leaning his forehead against mine. “Don’t feel guilty, baby, and don’t be mad at yourself. You were only protecting your heart, and for that reason, your reaction was completely valid and necessary. But if you ever start to doubt your trust in me again, talk to me, okay? I’ll always be honest with you. You mean the world to me, and I’ve grown to care about you more than you could ever know … I love you, Skylar, so fucking much.”
A sharp gasp escapes me, and I swear my heart stops for a moment. After everything that happened tonight, I never imagined he’d say those words to me. But now, as they hang in the air between us—it feels almost surreal, like I imagined it.
I curl my arms around his neck, and claim his lips with a fierce kiss. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear you say those words,” I whisper.
“A little warning then. I’m going to continue saying them to you until you get sick of hearing me say it,” he says with a playful grin.
“I’ll never get tired of hearing it ... I love you, Heath. So fucking much.”
His face breaks into a bright smile before he leans in, capturing my mouth in another heated kiss. When he finally pulls away, he wraps an arm around my shoulders, drawing me close to his side. “As much as I’d love to keep you all to myself,” he murmurs, “we should probably head back before Hannah sends out a search party. And if I’m not mistaken, I still owe you a dance, Ms Rivera.” He grins, and my heart swells so full, it might actually burst.
“Lead the way, Mr Bedford.”
With a gentle kiss on my temple, he takes my hand, leading us out of the restroom and into the lively crowd of dancing guests, ready to make the rest of our night unforgettable.
CHAPTER 33
Skylar
It’s been almost a week since Heath told me he loved me, and I’ve been floating on air ever since. When we returned to the wedding reception, hand-in-hand, it felt like the entire room stopped to take us in. Though a few, namely Natasha and Liam, barely masked their disapproval, it was his family who welcomed us back with open arms, their faces lit with warm, unguarded joy.
