“I wish I’d known. I’m sorry about that.” He let out a frustrated growl. “I missed so much.”
I wanted to soothe him, but didn’t know how.
“I won’t miss anything now. I promise.”
“I know you won’t,” I said. I wanted to ask him why he was here, but was terrified of the answer. Then I realized he wasn’t acting angry and so now was my time to tell him how sorry I was. “Wyatt?”
“Hmm?” He’d been looking out over the moonlit river, but turned to me.
“I hate myself for hurting you. Honestly, I do.”
He looked down.
“I felt terrible even as I was doing it. You were so wonderful with Alyssa. And Ryder kept telling me you had a right to know.”
“You didn’t think I did?” His voice was calm, but I could still hear the hurt.
“I knew you did. The reasons I had for keeping the secret don’t make sense now, even to me.”
“You were thinking of Alyssa. You were afraid I’d abandon her too, like I did to you.”
I blew out a breath. “Yes and no. I knew if I’d been able to find you and tell you I was pregnant, you’d have come home, so it was wrong to think you’d leave her-”
“And yet...”
“I worried about what would happen if Stark won. You left before. I guess I was just projecting my own hurt and fear. It was wrong.”
He studied me. “I’m not leaving. Ever. Or if I do, I won’t be going alone.”
Did that mean he’d take me and Alyssa with him, or just Alyssa? My heart raced in fear that he’d take her away from me.
He inhaled a breath and looked out over the water again. “We started here.”
“Yes.”
“We made a child. We had plans.”
“Yes.” I so desperately wanted to reach out to him, but didn’t feel I had the right to.
“Things didn’t quite go to plan.”
My heart sank. “I guess not.”
“I think it’s time we let those plans go, don’t you think? As you once said, we’re not infatuated high school kids.”
I looked down, struggling to keep from crying. With effort I lifted my gaze to him. “No, we’re not. But I do love you, Wyatt.”
His breath hitched and emotion swam in his eyes. “Maybe it’s time to make a new plan.”
My heart stopped as I waited in anticipation for what he meant.
“You hurt me, Sinclair-”
“I know, and I’m so sorr-”
“But I hurt you too. I hurt you and Ryder and you both forgave me. You didn’t even have to think about it.”
I bit my lip. “Ryder didn’t have to think about it. Me? I was wary, but how could I not love you again…still?”