Page 27 of Secrets in the Deep

Tears burned her eyes. “I’m not giving up anything. I’m choosing something.”

“You’re choosing wrong, and I won’t allow it.”

“Allow?” She stepped back.

“Yes, allow.”

“What is even going on right now? I love you, Ryan. That’s enough.”

Something flashed across his face. Pain. Maybe even regret. But it disappeared as quickly as it came.

Then he was completely unreadable. A stranger. A man wearing a mask she’d never seen. “I’m leaving, Emily.”

A coldness raced through her body like a bolt of ice. “Leaving? For how long?”

“We’re done.”

Her stomach hit the floor so hard she thought she’d be sick. “No. You’re not breaking up with me.”

“I am.” His words were slow now. Maybe even with a hint of emotion cutting through.

The room swayed, tears blurring her vision. “You’re breaking up with me because I turned down a job?”

“I’m breaking up with you because you deserve a life that’s more than waiting for me.” He closed a bit of the distancebetween them. “Because you were born to act, to let the entire world see your talent, not just me.”

“You don’t get to decide that for me.”

“I just did.”

Something broke inside her. Something snapped so hard and fast she almost keeled over.

“Don’t.” Her word was so quiet she wasn’t even sure he heard. “Don’t do this.”

“Goodbye, Emi.” He leaned down and touched his lips to her forehead.

Her eyes closed, tears falling down her cheeks in a stream. Then she opened them to see him walk out of her apartment, away from her. From them. Not looking back. Not caring that he’d just broken her in a way she’d never been broken before. In a way she’d probably never recover from.

Emily pulled into the parking lot outside the inn, forcing herself out of the memory. Trying to re-erect the armor she’d built to protect herself. To protect her heart.

She wiped the wetness from her cheeks and climbed from her car, returning to her room. To her life. A life she’d built without him. Not by choice. By force.

7

Emily leaned back in her seat at The Pancake Bar as Preston and Faye talked opposite her. It was busy. And the smells coming from the kitchen made her salivate.

But then, the owner had told them that his pancakes were the best in the world. He’d even mentioned some award.

Maybe they’d distract her from everything else. Everything else being Ryan, of course, and the kiss that shouldneverhave happened.

A shudder rolled down her spine at the memory. The kiss had been everything she remembered a kiss with Ryan to be. And that was a problem. A big one.

She glanced out the window beside her. And her stupid heart almost hoped he’d pass. That she’d catch a glimpse of him.

Argh, she was pathetic.

No, the pathetic part was that she’d been trying to catch glimpses of him for the last week, always waiting for his shift. Why? Her heart knew what he’d done to her. It should hate him.

She dragged her attention back to the café. Preston was talking about his upcoming list of projects. Well, less talking, more bragging. Emily had zoned out a while ago. Roscoe and afew other crew members sat on the other side of the café. They were deep in conversation, probably about the movie. That was all Roscoe talked about. He lived and breathed his work.