Page 84 of The Photograph

After Cal leaves, she sets her indecipherable gaze on me.Will you ever forgive me?

“Bye, Gabe.”

I dip my chin and watch her walk out of my life. Again.

****

On my way home, my knuckles tighten on the steering wheel.

She gave herself to me. Wholly. Every time she came screaming my name, with every smile, she was being her true, beautiful self. And I want her back.

Cal’s bike is in the driveway. I enter through the kitchen, as he uncaps a beer he pushes in my hand.

“You were right.”

Cal makes a noise and tilts the bottle to his mouth. “I know. About what?”

“About everything.”

Expecting some smartass comment, I grit my teeth, but Cal just nods.

“I want her back, Cal.”

Cal smirks. “Good man. And good luck with that. Have to say, her pictures are good, but in person, she’s really easy on the eye, man.”

“You’re an asshole, you know that?”

My friend smirks. “Takes one to know one.”

****

A few days later, I’m about to step in the elevator when my cell vibrates.

“Matthews”

“Mr. Matthews, this is Carly Hynes fromElle Decor. I received an email from Aelin Thorne who very politely declined to appear in the article.”

I fling my hand up to stop the sliding doors from closing. “Did she say why?”

The journalist makes a sound in her throat. “No. She just said, and I quote, ‘Although the project is close to my heart, I feel my presence in the article wouldn’t do it the justice it deserves,’ then she asks that her team be mentioned.”

Why wouldn’t she want to be affiliated to Holloway? Because Holloway’s mine.

“We were ready to—”

“Carly, I’ll get back to you.”

She sighs. “Thank you.”

I pocket my cell and make my way to my car. A little under half an hour later, I push open the door of her office.

The reception desk is empty. I step further to her office and no-one’s there. “Aelin?”

“Gabe?”

I wheel around to Aelin who’s balancing a plate with a sandwich on one hand and a mug in the other.

She lifts her frowning gaze to mine. “Is something wrong?”

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