Page 97 of Turning the Tide

It's the moment I've dreamt about for years. It's been too long since my lips tasted hers, and now that they have, I can't pull away. Even though I know, it's wrong.

She rips away, her wild eyes staring at me. I can't believe that I thought that I could live without her.

I. Wouldn't. Be. Living.

"You have to go. Now," she demands, moving around the room, collecting my keys and things.

"No, Hanna. I can't. We… I mean, I..."

I'm frantic at pushing out an explanation but come up empty-handed.

"No, Jameson. This was a mistake. We shouldn't be doing this."

"Don't run away, Hanna. I know you feel it too. Stop pretending that we aren't meant to be together."

"No. I'm…" she stutters, "I'm getting married, Jameson. I said yes."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes, of course, I do."

"Do you love me?"

Her hand covers her chest, trying to hide her heart, but I can't control mine. I let the words fall.

The fucking truth.

"Listen, I don't have any magic words to make this better. Nothing to say that can erase the last six years. I just know how I feel. I've made a million mistakes, and I'll probably make more, but one of those won't be because I didn't tell you how I feel."

I take a deep breath, and her body stills mid-stride.

"I love you, Han. I always will. If you want to marry Eric, I'll still love you from the sidelines. It will be painful as hell, but I'll support you."

I take a step toward her, and she steps backward, keeping a reasonable distance from me.

"You need to go."

I turn around, following her instruction, leaving the shattered pieces of my heart there at her feet.