“I didn’t mean for you to find out like this,” Goldie whispers, reaching out for me. Her eyes fill with tears, tears that mean absolutely nothing to me now.
“Did you mean for me to find out at all?” I snap as Ali frowns at me.
“Of course we did, man. She’s leaving you. Tell him, baby.”
Baby?
“Shut your fucking mouth, bitch,” I growl as he cocks an eyebrow at me, standing to his full height as he walks over to me.
“Why don’t you make me?” He challenges, his eyes glinting with menace.
Goldie stands in between us, her back to me as she pushes Ali away. It’s the way she speaks to him that kills me, the soft, girlfriend voice she saved only for me.
“Ali, just go in the other room...I need to speak to Dylan alone.”
He glares at me before Goldie tugs his face towards hers, staring into his eyes as he backs away.
“Fine, but if he says anything—”
“Ali!” Goldie pleads, turning back to me as she smooths her hair down with a trembling hand. Ali moves around, giving me a dead eye before he storms into the other room.
“Your fucking best friend?” I whisper, lifting my hand to my chest as I rub it, hoping it will soothe the pain I’m feeling there. Something deep inside of me is shattering, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.
“What are you doing here?” Goldie groans, blinking tears that spill down her cheeks and onto his shirt.
“I came to surprise you, which I clearly have.”
“I’m so sorry, Dylan. I was going to tell you in the New Year…” Goldie’s voice trails off as she bites her lip, looking up at me with apologetic eyes.
“Tell me what, exactly?” I whisper hoarsely.
Goldie shakes her head, the back of her hand wiping away her tears as she inhales, staring at the ceiling. “Don’t make me say it, please,” she begs.
I can’t breathe. My head is pounding, and I feel sick.
“How long?” I ask bluntly.
“Three months,” Goldie whispers, dipping her head in shame. “I’m in love with him, Dylan.”
It’s like someone has driven an ice pick into the deepest chamber of my heart, and for a second, my body is numb. My mouth responds before my brain does, and Goldie looks at me sadly.
“You fucking what?”
“I’m sorry…”
“You’re leaving me for him? You...were going to leave me for him?” I say bitterly, shaking my head in disbelief. “What about us, Goldie?”
“Oh, Dylan.” Goldie sighs, chewing on her bottom lip. “We’re just not working. You’re always working away, and I’m lonely. We never have sex because you’re too tired—”
This woman cannot be serious. I’d given her six years of my fucking life, and she’s leaving me for a fucking bum who can go all night?
“Fuck this.”
Without staying to listen to another word from her lying mouth, I walk out into the ice-cold air, which suddenly seems colder than it was fifteen minutes ago.
Like my heart.
