Page 72 of Bad Boy Bachelor Christmas
“It’s for the best.”
“For who?”
“For you,” he said, brows drawing together.
“Says who? You?”
He shrugged. “Yes.”
How could he be so cold? So to the point? So direct? Did this not hurt him at all? Had he considered my feelings at all? Had he given any thought to the fact that I too had been thinking about him and our dwindling time, and thanking my lucky stars I still had a few days left to soak in the final memories we stood to make together?
How dare he?
I found my voice. “I don’t know what to say.”
Fuck you.
That’s what I wanted to say—or scream.
“You don’t have to say anything.” North got to his feet. “I just thought it would be better to address this head on rather than wait and let things… fester.”
“Fester how?”
He stared at me like he didn’t expect me to have any follow-ups. “You know what I mean, Winter.”
“No actually, I don’t. One minute you’re surprising me with a tree decorating date and dinner, and the next you’re acting like this never meant anything to you. LikeInever meant anything to you. Three weeks ago, I might have believed that. But now? After everything?” I shook my head, gathering steam and anger. “I’m not buying it, North. You’re doing this to protect yourself. This isn’t about me or what’s best for us. This is about what hurts less foryou.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” I scoffed. “That’s all you’ve got?”
“This was an internship, Winter. Nothing more. We got carried away. We let the Christmas season—”
“Don’t.” I held up a finger. “This has nothing to do with Christmas lights or music. Don’t pass the blame. And don’t belittle this. It started as an internship. It hasn’t been ‘just’ that for a long time, and it hurts that you’re trying to make it seem that way.”
Like a coward, he moved to the door.
“Who are you?” I breathed. “Where is this coldness coming from? What did I do?”
“Nothing.” He opened the door. A blast of air as cold as his heart came rushing in. “The car will come for you at ten. I’ll send someone to help with your bags, and I’ve already taken care of your flight changes. I’ll email your tickets to you when I get back up to the house. Do you need anything else from me?”
The tears fell.
I couldn’t stop them.
I tried, failed, and gave in, letting them fall down my cheeks and drip onto my sweater. I shook my head as my chin trembled. “No. I don’t want anything else from you.”
He took a tentative step forward, reached for me, thought better of it, and let his hand fall to his side. “I’ll attach a reference letter for your counselor as well, and any future employers. Goodnight.”
With that, he was gone, leaving me staring at the closed door feeling shell-shocked and like he’d just ripped my heart out and stomped all over it with his massive feet. The tears continued to fall, but no sobs broke free. I felt too numb to cry in earnest. Too rattled.
Grabbing my phone from the kitchen counter, I texted Cami and asked her to come get me. I couldn’t spend the night here. She called me back, but I said I couldn’t talk. I just needed to get out. She said she was on her way in fifteen minutes, which gave me just enough time to pack my bags, strip the bedding, unplug the Christmas tree, and give the cabin one last longing look before dragging all my bags through the snowy fields up to the main house, where I waited in the freezing cold outside the front door for my ride.
Finally, the crying started in earnest.
CHAPTER33
NORTH
