Inked Persuasion (Montgomery Ink Fort Collins #1) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,70
mucking this up. I might as well continue. “What we’ve had recently has been great, but it’s been a little too much for me. We didn’t want anything serious, yet every time I turn around, things are getting a little too tangled. I have too much on my plate to worry about anything else, so this needs to be it. We’re moving too fast, and I’m done.”
“You’re done,” Annabelle said, her voice steady, her face not showing any emotion. I had no idea what she was thinking, and I knew I wasn’t doing this right. I didn’t need to be a jerk, but apparently, I couldn’t help it.
“I’m sorry, I know I should have done it softer or whatever, but we’re friends, right? We can tell each other the truth.”
“The truth,” she repeated, her voice still devoid of emotion.
I looked at her and nodded, worry creeping up on me. Why wasn’t she saying anything? “Yes, the truth. I have enough in my life to deal with right now. I don’t need to complicate things further. I don’t need anything getting in the way of my family and work. So, while what you and I had is nice, it can’t happen again. I’m sure I’ll see you around the neighborhood, and with my parents. But other than that, I think we need time apart.”
I was saying all the right things. This was exactly what we both needed. I didn’t want to end up hurting Annabelle in the end anyway. Because what if she fell for me? I couldn’t be with Jonah’s wife. That would be wrong. I was already doing a hundred things wrong. I didn’t need to add to the pile. This was good. This was the best thing for both of us.
Annabelle just looked at me before she gave a small nod. The only indication she felt anything was a slight quiver of her lips before she thinned them.
I was an idiot.
“Okay. You said your piece, and I guess it makes sense. I suppose I’ll see you around.” Again, nothing in her voice. Not a single hint of emotion. “I wish you well, Jacob Queen. At least you don’t hate me anymore.” And then she moved past me, not bothering to touch me as she did. All I could do was stand there like a moron, like someone who had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
I wouldn’t take it back. I couldn’t. Because I was barely handling everything as it was. I couldn’t handle any more.
Chapter 19
Annabelle
“Do you know where we put the file?” I asked as Paige walked in, a frown on her face.
“It’s on your desk. And it’s also electronic, so it’s in your inbox, all labeled correctly and tagged. You’re just as anal-retentive as I am when it comes to files. What’s wrong?” my sister asked as she sat across from me.
“I guess I haven’t had enough coffee,” I lied. I’d had four cups already and was a little jittery. But I wasn’t sure what else to say. Nobody needed to know that I had fallen in love with the one person I shouldn’t—the man who had once again broken me beyond measure.
I’d thought that it’d hurt when he hated me and when he had tried to push me out of his family’s lives. But no, I had been wrong. This hurt far more than anything he could have said when he despised me. He’d pushed me away because it was too much. I was that breaking point. I wasn’t enough for him.
It wasn’t fair. And yet it was the only thing that could be fair, right?
“It’s not coffee. What’s wrong?” Paige paused. “Is it Jacob?” she asked, her voice soft. My gaze shot to hers, and she frowned. “I didn’t want to be right. Oh, no. I’m so sorry. What happened?” She paused again. “Wait, am I going to get angry? Should I go get the ball-cutting shears?”
“There are ball-cutting shears?” Eliza asked from the doorway, her eyes wide.
I groaned. “Why do we talk about castration so often in this office?” I asked, and then promptly burst into tears.
Eliza closed the door behind her, mumbled something to one of my brothers or Clay as they tried to get in, and locked the door. I found myself leaning on Paige as she came around my desk and held me close. And then Eliza was there, holding me on the other side.
“We’re not going to castrate him,” Paige said. “We may hurt him. But tell