know. It’s worse than that … we’re sisters.”
Her face softened at my words, and a smirk emerged. It was small but visibly there. “I don’t know if that’s better or worse.”
“Me either. All I know is that it’s for life now.”
Because judging by how much Richard and my mother loved each other, they would be together for the long run.
“Do me a favor, Charlie? I know how it is. I’ve been where you are right now. Just don’t have hope, okay? That’s what killed me before.”
She walked away before I even had a chance to respond.
I’d heard her but not really because even if I didn’t want to have hope that Connor would decide to stay here, I did.
Chapter 28
Charlie
To say that tensions were high between Connor and me was an understatement. Luckily, we were overwhelmingly busy with preparations for the presentation for the board that we hadn’t had much time to talk about us. But I knew that the conversation would happen—and happen soon—and the inevitable would come. I wanted to come out of this semi-intact. I knew that I couldn’t come out of this fully unscathed, but I’d try to minimize any damage to my fragile heart to protect myself.
We sat in the boardroom. Funny enough, it was where everything had started what seemed like forever ago—brainstorming over Chinese food. My chest tightened because I was already cataloging the good times, the times we’d shared, as though I was thinking about us as a breakup.
But wasn’t that how this would end?
Mr. Colby’s tone was serious. No emotion showed on his face as he watched the commercials play in front of us. But the rest of the board, enthusiasm showed on their features.
Music sounded in the background as the first clip played of Connor, placing the chocolates and the flowers on the porch before wiping his palms down his slacks, picking them up again, and ringing the doorbell.
Someone in the room said, “Aw.”
I couldn’t help but smile because Connor was such a good actor. My cheeks reddened when the door opened, and there I was. Sweating occurred as I shifted in my seat, seeing myself on the overhead screen.
No one’s eyes made it my way because everyone was so fixated on the screen.
The commercial played, and so many emotions poured out of me. It felt so real, so heartfelt. Living through the motions on-screen brought so many feelings bubbling up to the surface.
The first date.
The slow dance.
Him on bended knee.
Me in the silk white dress on the wedding day.
And a slew of scenes danced in my head—the scenes not seen.
Endless laughter.
Connor making love to me.
Connor telling me he loved me.
Connor asking me to move in with him.
A lump formed in the back of my throat.
Why couldn’t he stay? Why did it have to be like this between us, just when I felt like I’d found the man of my dreams?
Why wasn’t I good enough?
In a hot two seconds, full-on tears would flow down my face, in front of everyone.
The room was dark, and I didn’t look to see if Connor was looking at me, but I knew he was watching me when I stood, quietly opened the door, and stepped out.
And I speed-walked to the restroom before the first tear fell.
Connor
A big part of me wanted to go after Charlie, just to see if she was okay, but the commercial hadn’t finished yet.
The wedding scene brought so much emotion to the surface, seeing her in that wedding dress—a dress I still had at my apartment. She’d left it there after the day of filming, and I’d placed it in a garment bag in my closet, unsure of what to do with it but knowing I wasn’t going to throw it away or sell it.
I still remembered the way she’d looked that day, her hair up and flowing with endless curls, her light-pink makeup as though she had been kissed by the sun.
Seeing her on the big screen brought back the day where I’d gotten down on one knee and told her I loved her for the first time.
My feet tapped on the floor, as I was impatient, needing to check on her.
Finally, when the commercial was done, which included me dipping Charlie and kissing her, the board started clapping.
My mother’s smile was big and wide as she clapped along with the others in the boardroom. “I love it, Connor. It’s exactly what we need.”
The corners of my mouth turned up in response, and I stood, flipped the lights on,