Page 113 of Love Unscripted
She tilted her head. “You’re saying we should just be friends.”
He didn’t argue.
“Is that what you really want, Aaron?”
A beat. Then a short, reluctant nod. “It might be best.”
A wry smile curved her mouth, though her eyes were wet. “I think I preferred it when you wanted us to be enemies.”
He almost smiled. Almost.
“But fine,” she said softly. “If that’s the route you want, fine. Just remember—you asked for this.”
She stepped around him.
This time, he let her go.
Her heart ached with every step down the corridor, but beneath the ache was something steadier. She had told the truth. She had not begged. She had not twisted herself smaller to keep him.
She would not break.
If there was a way forward, God would make it.
~*~*~*~
The clang of weights echoed through Aaron’s home gym, sharp and rhythmic beneath the low pulse of music coming from the speakers. The air smelled faintly of rubber mats and clean steel.
Aaron lowered the bar to his chest again, jaw tightening as he pushed through another rep.
“One more,” Adam said automatically from behind the bench.
Aaron exhaled hard and shoved the weight upward.
The bar clanged back into the rack.
Adam stepped back as Aaron sat up slowly, breathing heavily. Sweat dampened the collar of his T-shirt.
“Dude,” Adam said, shaking his head as he grabbed a towel off the bench nearby, “there is no way you told her that.”
Aaron took the towel from him and dragged it across his face. “What was I supposed to say?” he shot back between breaths. “‘Let’s just rewind to before you broke my trust’?” He tossed the towel over his shoulder. “I can’t do that, Adam.”
Adam nodded once, then moved toward the weight tree, sliding another plate into place with a muted clink.
“Okay,” he conceded. “Fair.” He straightened. “You can’t pretend nothing happened.”
Aaron reached for his water bottle and took a long drink.
“But attempting a platonic friendship,” Adam continued, “with a woman you are clearly still in love with?”
He let out a short laugh.
“That’s… brave.”
Aaron screwed the cap back onto the bottle. “I can handle it. I believe in myself.”
Adam barked out a laugh.
“That’s great. Confidence is key.” He smirked. “Self-delusion is even better.”
