"Ryder, please," Mia says, wiping at her eyes. "You're being unfair. I haven't made any decisions. I'm just trying to figure out what's right."
"What's right?" The words come out hollow and I shake my head. "What's right is remembering that we used to dream about building something together. Right here. In Iron Ridge. You used to say this town was big enough for everything we wanted."
"I still believe that—"
"Then prove it."
My hand goes to my jacket pocket, fingers closing around the small velvet box that was supposed to represent our future. The ring that was supposed to seal the promise I made to myself when I bought this house, when I organized the fundraiser, when I spent six days on the road missing her so much I could barely think straight.
But looking at her now, holding those contracts while tears stream down her face, I realize the timing couldn't be more fucked.
How do you propose to someone who's considering whether the life you're offering is big enough for her dreams?
I pull out the Tiffany box and slam it down on the coffee table so hard the barely-hidden champagne glasses jump.
"Here. Maybe this will help you decide what's really important."
The room goes dead silent.
Mia stares at the small blue box like it might explode, her face cycling through shock, confusion, and what might look like heartbreak if I wasn't so annoyed.
Connor's mouth falls open. Jackson stops breathing entirely. Even Logan looks stunned.
"Ryder," Blake says carefully, moving toward me, "maybe you should—"
But I'm already heading for the door, my chest so tight I can barely breathe.
"What, Blake?" The words are thrown over my shoulder as I reach for the handle. "Maybe I should wait around to see if shechooses me or them? Maybe I should pretend like the fact that she's even considering this doesn't feel like a knife in my fucking chest?"
"Ryder, wait—" Mia starts, finally finding her voice through the tears that are now streaming down her face, but I'm done.
I'm done waiting for someone to choose me. Done believing that all the effort I put into proving I'd changed would be enough to make her want to stay and build something with me.
Done hoping that the boy who left her wouldn't be replaced by the woman who leaves me.
"Everyone out," Blake orders quietly "Now."
"Ryder, man, wait—" Connor calls after me, but I'm already slamming the door behind me.
I stride toward my truck, not trusting myself to look back at the house where the woman I love is probably staring at that ring box, trying to figure out if a life with me is worth more than selling out.
Because if I look back and see her still holding those contracts...
I might do something even more stupid than walking away.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Mia
Istare at the blue box sitting on the table. A ring box. An actual Tiffany and Co. ring box.
He was going to propose tonight. At Lookout Point. With the lanterns and the champagne and the sunset.
And I ruined it by answering my phone.
"Stupid," I whisper to the empty room. "So stupid."
I try to ignore the box and spread the contracts across the coffee table instead. My hands are still shaking as I look over the endless stack of papers. The Walker & Associates letterhead stares back at me.
