Page 106 of The Love Lie
“You don’t know that. You can’t.”
“Look at me, Sam.” He cradles her face in his palm and stares into her stricken eyes, willing her to believe him. “I won’t stop needing you.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I’ll give it up.” She sucks in a sharp breath. For a moment, he thinks he has her. “I’ll go to you. I’ll surround myself with your friends and your family. I’ll live wherever you want to live. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
The brief light in her eyes burns out. “I won’t let you throw away your life for me. Just like I won’t let Em do it either. I’m not worth it.”
You are.
He wants to shake her and scream.
YOU’RE WORTH EVERYTHING!
But he can already tell it won’t get through. So he slides his hand to the back of her neck, holding her there with him for just a few seconds longer, fully aware of the desperation that must be written all over his face but lacking any care to hide it.
“I’m not the type of man who likes to live with regrets. And if I let you leave now, I already know I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
She places her warm palm over his and closes her eyes, melting into his touch for the barest instant. Then she slowly peels his hand away. “It’s not your decision to make.”
I know.
Nina’s proverb from all those weeks ago comes back to haunt.You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink.
He can’t make her stay. He can’t make her fight. He can’t make her want him. And even if he could, he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life convincing someone to believe in him. So he leans over and pulls the knob on her door to release the lock, willing her to understand that the only prison she’s in is the one of her own making.
She doesn’t even look at him as she pushes open the door.
He should let her go.
He knows this. He understands it.
But he just can’t.
Cooper takes hold of her hand. Sam pauses with one foot on the ground and glances slowly over her shoulder, eyes already wet with unshed tears.
“Tell me you don’t love me,” Cooper rasps.
She tenses.
“Tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll let you go.”
“Cooper, I—” She takes a deep breath. He holds his, everything about him suddenly still, waiting. She licks her lips and opens her mouth. “I—I can’t.”
He tightens his grip. “ThenIcan’t stop fighting. I won’t.”
She sighs. For the first time since he’s known her, defeat flashes in her eyes. It worries him more than a single word she’s ever said.
“Get your shop set up, Cooper.” She changes the topic, her tone flat. “There are still three weeks before the live finale. You need to capitalize on your popularity while you still can. I knowyou think your dad won’t go for it, but he will. He’ll agree to anything that keeps you here and keeps you happy. It’s not about the ranch. You’re his connection to your mom, just like photography is for you. That’s why he’s holding on so tight. That’s why he’s so afraid. You’re his tether. He needs you.”
Cooper doesn’t want to talk about his photography or his father, but it doesn’t matter what he wants. The door slams shut and she walks away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
sam
The wordson Sam’s computer screen blur. She grits her teeth and pauses typing long enough to curl her fingers into fists.
