She stood slowly, struggling to her feet like an old woman. "But I had to tell you the truth before I left. Because even now, a part of me hopes that one day you'll forgive me and we can be friends again."
She held her hands out to me, to help me off the floor.
I had two choices. Hold onto my resentment and let her walk out of here. Or understand and forgive and get my best friend back.
I placed my hands in hers and she tugged me up so hard I stumbled. Fell against her. And then we were hugging and sniveling and crying.
"I'm so sorry you went through all that alone," I said, when we finally stopped embracing and released each other.
"Thanks, it was tough." Dani plucked the last tissue out of the box, tore it in two, and handed me half. "Gutted me. Which is why I went a little crazy."
I managed a wobbly smile. "What was your excuse before?"
"Bitch," she said, and we laughed.
Her smile faded all too quickly. "Are you going to talk to Kye? Because I really think you should." She grimaced. "I'm so ashamed of my behavior. I'll apologize to him too and then you can work things out—"
"I'm scared," I murmured, recognizing the truth a second after the words tumbled from my lips. "I've fallen in love for the first time with a guy I barely know. A guy who's going to be travelling the world and meeting gorgeous women and who I wasn't going to see after the end of vacation anyway, so what's the point …" I trailed off, having articulated my deepest fears when it came to Kye.
I wasn't a fool. Once the initial pain from seeing Dani on top of him had faded, I'd known why I'd run. Because I'd avoided the inevitable break-up we faced. I'd taken the easy way out. So why did it now feel so hard?
"Want to know what I think?"
"You're going to tell me anyway," I said, incredibly thankful to have my opinionated BFF back.
Dani managed a wobbly smile. "If you love him, fight for him. Don't let a possible cloudy future dictate what you could have today."
She squeezed my arm. "At least, that's what I used to help me decide whether to keep the baby or not. I was terrified, imagining how someone like me could care for a baby. I concocted terrible scenarios in my head, each worse than the last. But when it came down to it?" She shrugged, but I glimpsed the incredible pain of loss in her eyes. "I would’ve rather lived my life with my baby than give it away for fear of a future that may never happen."
"Aww, honey …" I hugged her again, swiftly and fiercely, releasing her before we started to bawl again. "Thanks. You've really helped."
"Glad to."
A knock sounded at the door and I glanced at my watch in surprise. Even if most students weren't away on vacation, I wouldn't normally have visitors at three a.m.
When I opened the door, my heart stopped.
"Don't you ever leave me again," Kye said, a second before he hauled me into his arms and squeezed so tight like he'd never let go.
I wished.
What seemed like an eternity later, Kye released me.
Dani brushed past us. "I'm sorry, Kye. I was an idiot in Santa Monica." She slung an arm around my shoulder. "Mia will explain everything." She squeezed me and pecked me on the cheek. "Take care, hon. I'll be in touch."
"Okay." I waited until Dani left before hauling Kye inside and slamming the door shut. There was so much to say and I had no freaking idea where to start.
"Nothing happened—"
"Sorry for running—"
We spoke simultaneously, both halting at the same time, followed by nervous laughter. When Kye took a seat at my desk, I chose the bed. I couldn't be near him to have this conversation, because if he touched me again I'd fall into his arms without needing what had to be said.
"You first," I said, chicken to the end.
He braced his elbows on his knees, making his navy T-shirt pull taut across his delts and upper back. A back I'd scoured in ecstasy. A back I wanted to wrap my arms around even now and never let go.
"Nothing happened between Dani and me. She came onto me, I shoved her away. That's it." He sucked in a breath and blew it out. "I don't give a flying fuck about any other woman because you're the one I want."
No declaration of love. Good. It would make this easier.
"Dani told me what happened, how she wrote us both notes, then deliberately came onto you to pay me back for abandoning her in favor of you."
He made loopy circles at his head. "Your friend's seriously whacko."
"She's been through a lot. Stuff I didn't know about." I shrugged. "But we've cleared the air and we'll be okay."
"Can you say the same about us?" He stood so abruptly the chair slammed into the desk. "I thought we had something, Mia. Something good. So how could you believe I'd be screwing around on you and then run before giving me a chance to explain?"