Page 77 of Fake It Till We Fall
“Yeah. Maybe.” The sound of the bedroom door told me Harper was awake. “Listen, Ollie, I’ve got to go. Happy holidays.”
I hung up before I had to hear any more. I’d already heard enough. The life I’d let myself imagine for even the slightest moment—my name on the hardware store sign, Harper in my arms, building a life together—it all shattered with a brief phone call.
It was over.
I’d just dropped the phone on the counter when Harper walked into the kitchen. She’d pulled an oversized sweatshirt and shorts on, but her dark hair was still loose in half-tangled, very sexy waves that cascaded over her shoulders.
“Hey there.” She cocked a hip and leaned against the doorjamb, looking so damn kissable that it took all my restraint not to close the distance between us.
“Sorry if I woke you. Coffee?”
“I’d rather have you back in bed with me.”
Her words were like a knife to my heart. I wanted to be back in her bed, too. Before I’d seen the text from her captain, before the phone call with Ollie. Before I’d learned that I was about to lose everything.
Again.
How could I ask her to stay or even discuss the alternatives with me when I no longer had anything to offer her? She deserved so much more than a small-town life with a man who’djust let the biggest opportunity of his life slip away because, once again, he hadn’tsaidanything.
I turned away, busying myself with the coffee so she couldn’t see my face and the pain that was no doubt written all over it.
I was losing everything.
And this time, I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to survive it, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to take her down with me.
Harper
Something was wrong.
I’d felt it the moment I’d woken up to a cold bed. He was gone. My heart sank, but only until I heard his voice in the kitchen and the warm, rich scent of fresh coffee hit me.
I took a moment to lie in bed, remembering the night before, spinning the silver ring on my finger, letting myself bask in the type of happiness that had eluded me for so many years before joining Grayson in the kitchen.
“Hey there.” I leaned against the doorway, waiting for him to look up. The second he did, I saw it. Somethingwaswrong.
“Sorry if I woke you. Coffee?”
I shook my head and tried to keep my voice light despite the fear creeping up my spine. “I’d rather have you back in bed with me.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and turned away, confirming what I already knew.
“Gray?” I closed the distance between us and reached out, fingers brushing his arm. He flinched, just a little, but I saw it. I felt it. “What’s going on?”
“You should probably start packing, huh?” His voice was flat. He didn’t turn around.
My stomach dropped, the icy fear crawling over my scalp. “What are you talking about?”
“The holidays are over.” Still, he didn’t turn.
“That doesn’t?—”
“I saw the message.” He finally looked at me, and the distance in his eyes made my chest ache.
“Message? I haven’t seen my phone?—”
“Congratulations. I guess you’re heading for the Med.”
What?
