Sweet Love - Mia Kayla Page 0,71

just don’t want to be around me right now. Promise, I’m no joy to be around.”

“Which is exactly why I want to talk to you. I want to know what’s wrong.”

Her frown deepened.

I walked toward her, toward the door, and grabbed her elbows, pulling her in. “We’re not just sex buddies, okay? I like you. I care about you. I want you to tell me what’s bothering you, and I want to be here to cheer you up. And I’m not talking about the kinky stuff.”

I brushed her hair from her forehead.

Her lips trembled, and in the next second, she was in my arms, a broken, shaky breath escaping her. “I’m s-sorry.”

When she tried to pull away, I tightened my hold around her. “Stop. It’s me.”

Hell, my heart broke as she pushed her face into my shirt. Shit … is she crying? She was. My stomach dropped and kept on going.

“Charlie …” I kissed the top of her head and pulled her tighter against me.

I would do anything in my power to make her feel better. Practically anything. Slay dragons. Defeat her demons myself.

She pulled back, ducking her head and blinking up against the lights, swiping at her eyes. “I planned this great exhibit. Planned it for months and months. Put a down payment on the place, got this job to secure payment to fulfill it. Worked on my paintings nonstop and then …” She shook her head and dropped her head into her hands. “She’s not going to my exhibit.”

“Who?”

She lifted her gaze to mine, and the look in her eyes was like having a truck ramming against my chest.

“My mother.” A tiny sob escaped her.

What in the living hell is wrong with that woman?

I didn’t know her mother, but I didn’t like her already, just for the fact that she always made Charlie feel like shit.

“Why the hell not?” I snapped a little too loudly.

“Because my wench of a stepsister … is having … an awards ceremony then. Like, she sprang it up. Like she did it on purpose, which I know is stupid ’cause how could she possibly know that?”

Full-on tears fell down my cheeks.

It was all too much for me to take.

“Come here.”

“Connor … no.”

I pulled her into me, unable to handle her crying, needing to console her, needing her tears to stop.

Her elbows were by my chest, her arms tight, but I wrapped my arms around her fully.

“Stop fighting me, Charlie. Why don’t you let me comfort you?”

She pushed at my chest, but I wouldn’t relent.

“Because I can’t rely on you like that. Because you’re leaving.”

She was right.

I released a heavy sigh and closed my eyes tightly.

I got where she was coming from. She didn’t want to rely on me, especially when I was going. She didn’t want me to be that person, her person, given our circumstance.

I held her in silence, letting her get her all emotions out, knowing I couldn’t be anything else to her even though she was my person. Wasn’t she? She knew everything about my own family issues, had consoled me and tried to lighten the bitterness that I had toward my parents. She was even helping me save this company when it wasn’t her job to do.

I kissed the top of her head.

Yes.

My person.

Charlie

I didn’t want to lean on Connor, didn’t want to have him here to comfort me now, knowing that he wasn’t here permanently. I could confide in Alyssa and Casey because I knew … I knew they would be here for me months from now, maybe even years from now. I’d formed a bond with them in a short period of time, and I knew we would be friends forever. Plus, when I complained, they always made me feel better, but there was nothing … nothing that made me feel better than being in Connor’s arms.

Like his arms were meant to be around me, like he was born to keep me there.

And I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t hold the words in and not depend on him like I wanted to.

“I wish … I wish I were good enough. Gosh, I don’t understand why I need this affirmation from her, why I still seek it. It’s just …” I hiccuped. “There’s this void now that my dad is no longer here. I want her to fill that void. I want her to believe and know I’m talented. That this passion I have is in me. I want her to see what my father saw, what