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“You should live a happy life. You deserve it, Atlas.” With those words, the line goes dead.
It’s really over. No more flirting with Eric as Miss Karma. No more moonlight kisses or amazing orgasms or naked cuddling.
Tears blur my vision, and I let them fall down my face. I never imagined tonight would end this way or that I could ache this badly.
I could go to the airport. I could go to Eric and tell him how I feel anyway. At least then I would get to say the words. He would know that I love him, even if he doesn’t want to fight for what we could have.
As soon as I think of seeing Eric at the airport, my mom’s words echo in my ears. Make your father happy. You’re his joy.
No matter what I do I’m bound to lose. Either I have to be unhappy or I have to disappoint my mom.
“Did he hurt you?” My father’s tone is laced with a hard edge I’ve only heard him use with people he despises.
I shake my head and swipe at my face, trying to clear the evidence of tears.
Dad takes a seat in the other chair. He drums his fingers on the armrest. “I’m not used to being disappointed by you.”
The words are like daggers in my already raw heart. “I’m not used to having my heart broken so maybe you could be disappointed in me another time.”
He swears under his breath. “This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen.”
“Don’t say that.” As much as I’m aching right now, I wouldn’t change tonight for anything. I’ll always have the memories of how it felt to be with Eric.
I think about the way he wrapped his arms around me when I first arrived in the hotel room, hugging me so tightly. The image starts the tears again and I bite my lip to muffle the sound of my sobbing.
“You’re young.” My dad reaches to put a hand on my shaking shoulder. “I know it feels like the end of the world right now. But there will be other guys. Guys better suited to you.”
I shake my head and take a deep breath. “There will never be anybody else. Remember the story you always told me growing up? How you saw mom one time and knew?”
“Shit, Atlas. I didn’t mean for you to take that to heart. It doesn’t even happen for most people,” he scoffs. His blue gaze contains a mixture of concern and frustration.
“But it did for me.” I found the most amazing and perfect-for-me man. Except we can’t even be together because everyone else’s happiness is more important than mine.
“I want to be happy,” I whisper the words. More than I want my dad to be happy or even my mom, I want my own happiness.
“One day, you will be again,” Dad promises. “The pain will fade in time.”
I choose me. The thought that I can choose my happiness makes me feel light and free, like I’m no longer carrying the burden of being the perfect daughter.
“I’m choosing to be happy. I’m going to do what makes me happy.” I turn to him. “Please don’t retaliate against him for that. Don’t make him suffer just because he makes me happy.”
My dad stares at me in shock. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen him speechless.
Taking advantage of the moment, I lean forward and kiss his cheek. “I have a prince to find.”
* * *
Eric
Sitting in the airport, I glance at the clock on my phone and will myself not to call Atlas again. I’m doing this for her. I’m walking away from the woman I love so she can have a good life. A better life than anything I could offer her.
I replay the memories from tonight in my mind. I keep looking for something I could do differently. Some way I could have saved myself this heartache.
But there’s no other option than the pain because I’m in love with Atlas. Every beat of my heart is because of her now.
“You look like a man who made a dumb ass decision.”
I glance from my phone to the sixty-something man with a green newsboy cap. He has a twinkle to his blue eyes and one of those faces that looks like he’s perpetually smirking.
