Page 94 of Take My Name
“No, but it holds a lot of memories Ididn’t wanna let go of.”
Namely, all the memories of her and me.
“Right, because you’re stuck in the past. I might be glued to my computer for fifteen hours a day, but at least I’m workin’ toward a future I can be proud of. That I built, on my own! It’s not always about goin’ out with the girls for brunch or makin’ love all night long. Sometimes it’s about growin’ up and facin’ reality. And hopefully findin’ someone to match your goals and dreams.”
I tense, jaw locked at how angry she is. It’s clear we’re at a stalemate.
“Then maybe you should go back to your fiancé who can give you what you want because I won’t watch you work yourself to death and forget what’s truly important in life.”
She stumbles back, her chest rising and falling as her breath hitches. “W-what?”
“There’s supportin’ your dreams and there’s enablin’ you toonlythink about those dreams. A career ain’t supposed to take over your whole goddamn life.”
“It doesn’t—” She promptly stops as if she lost her train of thought on whatever argument she was going to make, so I pour out my soul and hope it’s enough to help her understand.
“Maisie, I want a family with you. I wanna wake up on the weekends with you in my arms. I wanna make breakfast for you and our kids. I wanna get ’em ready for the day and take ’em hiking or horseback ridin’. I wanna snuggle with you on the couch or read in bed. Then I want you to tell me all about your book when we’re in the shower together. I don’t want my partner to care more about her job than her family—because at the end of the day, it is just ajob. You’re not gonna look back on your deathbed and wish you worked more hours. You’re gonna wishyou spent more time with your loved ones. But if that’s the kind of man you want—the one who’ll put his job first and not care that you’re doin’ the same thing—then I’m man enough to admit that’s not me and I’m not the one for you.”
She swallows hard, licking her lips, thinking hard about her next words. “Why didn’t you ever say any of this before? It’s not like I didn’t make it obvious what I wanted to do in New York.”
“Because I couldn’t compete with your parents and their lifestyle they wanted for you. I’d always thought that didn’t matter to you, the flashy and expensive shit, but as soon as they could fund you movin’ up there, you left everythin’ behind. Chasin’ you wasn’t an option, so all I had was buildin’ the future we planned together and hope like hell one day you’d come back to see what you were missin’.”
She blinks up at me, on the verge of tears, and I wish I could comfort her. Lean in and wipe her cheeks, then kiss away the pain.
“Being born into my type of family meant my life’s been planned out since day one. What was expected of me, where I’d go to university, the type of man I should marry. I needed to prove to myself and everyone else that I was more than their daughter or someone’s wife. Just once, I wanted to make my own plans and take care of myself. And yeah, I needed their money to help at first, but I’ve paid ’em back every penny they gave me since I moved to New York. I haven’t touched my trust fund. I wanted to be with you, but I wanted to do this for myself more. Build my own legacy that was founded on my own merit. I didn’t expect to fall in love with another man. And I sure as hell didn’t expect to still have feelings for you after all these years.”
My heart pounds uncontrollably and the blood rushes to myears as I wrap my brain around each word she says. We were so young, so desperately in love, but too young to realize the future we had ahead could change at any moment. My tunnel vision only showed me her. Us. Together. Nothing else mattered.
And I should’ve seen it sooner.
The way her parents pressured her to be what they wanted and then I started doing the same. Expecting her to be happy being my wife when she wanted so much more.
I understand more than I want to admit, but I do.
She needed to experience life on her own terms.
Although I stand by what I said, her perspective changes everything.
“Why didn’t you tell me this before when I fought so hard against movin’ there?”
She shifts nervously between her feet, rocking back and forth. “I didn’t know how to explain it back then. A part of me felt silly for needin’ to leave my hometown or that no one would understand. Poor rich girl wants to fly from the nest to prove she’s not the stereotype everyone assumes she is. I thought it’d make me sound ungrateful for what I had, but it had nothin’ to do with that. I had to prove to myself I was more than my family name.”
“I get it now, Maze. I really do. And I shouldn’t have manipulated you into spendin’ a week with me just to get somethin’ in return.” My mouth goes dry before I say my next words, but I force them out. “You’re off the hook. I’ll sign the papers.”
Before she can respond, I exit the bedroom, my heart lodged in my throat as I find the manilla folder that’s been on my coffee table for the past week. Grabbing a pen from thekitchen, I flip through the pages until I reach the last one awaiting my signature.
Staring at it, I contemplate what this means.
I’m letting her go.It’s time.
And then I sign it.
chapter sixteen
Maisie
When the frontdoor slams closed, I know he’s left.
My feet are still frozen in place from where he bolted from his bedroom. I couldn’t find the words to speak up and stop him.
