Page 247 of Fame & Chaos

Planned to disappear.

I cross the room in two strides and grip Kenzi’s shoulders. “P-please.” My voice cracks despite my best effort to steady it. “Just tell me where she is. I have to explain what happened.”

Her eyes flick briefly to my hands before returning to my face. “Caleb… I know you love her. God knows that’s obvious. And I know she loves you too.” Hope flickers… “But every time she lets you back into her life, she ends up heartbroken.”… then dies. “You don’t see what I see,” she continues gently. “I’ve watched her fall apart more times than I can count. Since you came back, she has cried more than she smiles. She loves you so much that every disappointment cuts deeper than the last.”

I let my hands fall away. “You’re wrong.”

“Am I?” She holds my gaze. “You don’t hurt her on purpose, Caleb. I know that. But intent doesn’t change the outcome.” I look away. “She doesn’t belong in your world.” My whole body tightens. “She needs peace. She needs stability. She needs a life where she isn’t wondering when the next headline, the next scandal, or the next crazy fan is going to turn everything upside down.” Every word lands exactly where it hurts. “You can give her so much,” Kenzi says softly. “You can love her with everything you’ve got. But you can’t give her a normal life.”

No. I can’t.

Not without giving up everything I’ve worked for.

“Shit,” I whisper.

Kenzi steps closer and rests a comforting hand on my shoulder. “I honestly believe the two of you have the kind of love people spend their whole lives searching for.” Her smile is tinged with sadness. “But sometimes… love isn’t enough.”

The lump in my throat becomes impossible to swallow. For the first time since I stepped off that plane, I stop fighting what I have known all along.

Maybe loving Indi has never been the problem.

Maybe it’s me.

Maybe she will always pay the price for the life I’ve chosen.

I spent six years refusing to let her go. Six years of believing we’d find our way back to each other.

And when we finally did? I broke her heart all over again.

The thought hollows me out.

I look at Kenzi and realize she’s watching the battle play out across my face.

She already knows.

I have to let Indi go.

“You’re doing the right thing,” she says quietly.

I laugh, though there’s no humor in it. “Then why does it feel like someone’s ripped my heart out?”

“Because sometimes doing the right thing hurts more than doing the easy thing.” She steps forward and wraps her arms around me.

For the first time in weeks, I don’t fight the emotion.

I close my eyes and hold on for a second before clearing my throat. “Promise me something…”

She pulls back. “Anything.”

“If she meets someone else…” the words are so painful to say, “… make sure he’s good to her.” The emotion tightens my chest. “Make sure he loves her the way she deserves.”

Kenzi smiles sadly. “I will.” She squeezes my arm. “And you deserve to find happiness too.”

I shake my head. “There isn’t anyone after Indi.” There never will be. “But I’ll figure out how to keep going.”

Somehow.

“I hope you do,” she says.