Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) - Amber Kelly Page 0,75
guys and that is enough for now.”
And that sums up our friendship. Ride or die.
Walker gets Foster to follow us in Sonia’s car to her apartment. While Elle gets her settled in, Walker and Foster change her locks out with the ones Walker had in his truck, which he purchased for his and Elle’s new home. I walk down the few blocks to Brandt’s office.
I know I only worked with him for a couple of weeks, but I miss it. Not just him, but also the clients and the animals.
What a crazy summer it has been. My heart aches at the thought of leaving. Sonia is going to need Elle and me more than ever, Faith just got here, Beau is growing like a weed and will be a little man soon, and Elle will be planning her wedding. I’m going to miss so much of it all if I leave now. Most of all, I’ll miss Brandt. I’ll miss seeing what the house looks like, painted blue. I’ll miss him taking me home and passing me off to my daddy at night. I’ll miss his kisses and his arms around me.
How did this happen? How did my heart get so attached to him so quickly when I wasn’t paying attention?
I wasn’t this upset about ending things with Derrick after knowing him for years? Maybe Doreen is right; God does have a soul mate for us all, and it’s not about the length of time you’ve spent together but about you finding your matching piece.
I’m standing outside, trying to figure out how I’m going to say all of this to him when the light comes on and he opens the door.
My heart skips a beat as I pass him to walk inside. I sit on the edge of the desk and wait as he shuts the door behind me.
When he turns to face me, my stomach drops. I know instantly that this isn’t about us talking and figuring out where we stand or how we want to proceed with our relationship.
This is good-bye.
It’s written all over him.
Brandt
“You want to go to my office?” I ask as I turn to face her.
She shakes her head. “Nope. I think we can say everything that needs to be said right here,” she says.
I notice a scratch across her cheek from her nose to ear. I reach out to touch it, and she flinches.
“You really got in a fight with a man in the parking lot tonight?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yep. Don’t worry. I didn’t hurt him too badly,” she says cheekily.
“And that’s what, a bad thing? That I love my friends recklessly and would fight the Devil himself for messing with them?”
I sigh. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing, but it’s something that I can’t have in my life.”
Her face goes blank at my declaration.
“At least I know why you ghosted me,” she says as she crosses her arms over her chest. The blue-and-purple bite mark exposed on her wrist.
A pounding ache bubbles in my chest at the sight. I want to find that asshole and turn his entire body those colors.
“It’s not you—” I begin.
She cuts me off, “Do not give me that lame-ass line. Please, at least spare me that humiliation.”
“I’m not trying to hurt you or humiliate you, Bellamy,” I tell her.
“You know what? I’m going to let you off the hook easy, Doc. Turns out, Denver Zoo wants me after all. I’ll start looking for apartments in the city next week. I just wanted to let you know.”
“That’s wonderful, Bellamy. I know that’s what you wanted,” I tell her as that ache grows to a pulsing thrum.
“Yep. My dream come true,” she declares as she avoids my eyes.
I approach her and reach to hug her. I just want to hold her against me one more time before I let her go.
“Don’t,” she demands as she throws her hand up between us.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” I whisper.
“Too late.” She walks past me and to the door.
She opens it, but then she stops and turns around. Tears are welling in her eyes.
“I came here tonight to say my piece, dammit, and I’m not going to chicken out now. I get that you have been through some really horrible shit in your life. I hate that you had to endure that. I wish that you had learned a