Page 131 of When Stars Collide
“No, but it will be.”
I watched Peter slip out of the tent, knowing that this was my moment. It was now or never. In a rush, I scooted my chair back, catching Elle’s attention as I sprung to my feet, swearing when my dress caught on the chair.
“What’s the matter? Are you all right?”
“I don’t know the answer to that question yet. The only thing I know for sure is that you may want to call the cops because I may just murder Peter.”
“What?”
I didn’t look back as Elle called my name when I ran out of the tent, pivoting in the direction I’d seen Peter heading. His long legs had probably already carried him halfway across the property by now, and it took a second for me to spot him. When I saw him, I moved to chase after him, turning my ankle when the heel of my shoe dug itself into the ground. Cursing, I unfastened the buckles and threw the shoes aside, giving chase on my bum ankle.
“Peter!”
He didn’t turn when I called out to him, instead maintaining his pace on his way to God knows where. The last couple of days had been particularly hard on him, but he had to also realize just how hard the last few months had been on me.
“Peter!” Still no response; no attempt to even turn around. Hell, his pace had even appeared to quicken. “Damn it, Peter, I know you can hear me!”
Now a short distance ahead of me, Peter threw his head back, resigning himself to the fact that he wasn’t going to get away from me so easily.
“We really need to talk.”
“Not now, Mena, please.” I expected to hear frustration in his voice when he spoke to me. But the tremble I heard in its place told me that he was beyond any bitterness he may have been harboring toward me, if he ever really was bitter.
Reaching out, I touched his arm with my fingertips, an unspoken request for him to turn and face me. When he did, I felt my resolve break when I noticed his red-rimmed eyes.
“Look, I know I told you that I would always stand by your side no matter what you chose to do, and I will. I promise you, Mena, I will. You’re too important to me not to have you in my life. I just really need a minute right now. Seeing you and him together, it was a bit much, and—”
“Peter.”
He shook his head as he held up his hand. “No, please, let me finish. I know it’s all my fault that my heart feels like it’s been torn in two and stomped on. I get that. But don’t let that make you think I’m not happy for you, Mena. Because I am happy for you, I really am—”
“Peter.”
“And, I know, I know, I’ll apologize to Phineas for some of the content in my speech—not all of it, but some of it. I’m sure I probably crossed the line a little, so don’t worry about that.”
“Phineas isn’t here,” I blurted out before he could continue further.
“Oh. Well, I guess I can scratch apologizing to him off my list, then. What, is he allergic to weddings or something?”
“Not exactly. He went back to New York.”
Peter’s brow furrowed in confusion, interlaced with an ounce of hope. “Wh-Why did he leave? Did a library catch on fire or something?”
“First of all, a library fire is nothing to joke about. Secondly, he left last night because he could see that … that I’m still in love with you.”
Peter’s face softened as he processed my confession, longing returning to eyes that contained nothing but pain only a second ago. “Are you sure? God, Mena, I’ve been such a trainwreck.”
“We’re both trainwrecks, Peter. I’m just better at making it appear like I have my shit together.”
“You know I can’t pick up and move to New York, right?”
“Yeah, which is why I’ve decided to move here. If you’ll have me, of course.”
He cupped my cheek in his hand, running his thumb along my cheekbone. “I want that. Christ, Mena, I want that so badly. But I can’t ask you to do that for me. You’d be giving up everything you’ve worked for. That’s too much of a sacrifice to ask you to make.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me. The only way I would be giving up anything was if I stayed in New York. I may have a life there, but I have a home here. You and Jackson have always been my home, Peter.”
He shook his head, a smile of disbelief overspreading his face. “Damn it, I love you, Mena Straszewski. I never thought I’d get to say that to you again.”
