Page 94 of When Forever Falls Apart

“If you’re serious about this, let’s sit down and talk it out. We can crunch some numbers,” she suggests, her voice resolute. “The hardest part of being successful is coming up with the idea. You’ve got that, so now you need to figure out how to execute.”

“Uh-huh…”

My trust fund kicked in when I turned twenty-one, but I foolishly used a significant portion of it on investments tied to Myles. I make a mental note to sit down with Astonbecause I wouldn’t even know where to begin with untangling that mess.

“You don’t sound very committed… What about Broadway?”

“I am. My heart isn’t in Broadway anymore. So much of that was…” I trail off with a weighted sigh. “It’s just… I had brunch with Dad the other day, and I know you’ll say I told you so, but he invited Myles.”

There’s a pause on the line. I wait, knowing that Eva is processing the information.

“You’re quiet,” I say, sensing her hesitation.

“You told me not to say I told you so…”

“Do you want to hear the rest or not?” I question sharply.

“Of course.”

I take a deep breath. “Well, Dad left, and Myles and I had a good talk. We aired out everything.”

“Uh-huh… But?”

“He said it’s normal to feel scared. There was so much pressure on us before. And if I wanted to get married at City Hall or Vegas, he’d run off with me right now.”

“Oh my God!” Eva shouts over the speaker, forcing me to lean back for a moment. “Did you tell him that’s not the only reason you left?”

“No, I was kind of overwhelmed. He asked me to think about it, and I just walked away.”

“Maddy.” Eva’s voice softens. “Do you regret it?”

I shake my head, though she can’t see me. “No, but…” The weight of my secret relationship with Elliot presses heavily against my chest. Telling her about him feels too complicated right now, especially after our argument earlier. An argument that raised red flags. It was stupid, it grew out of something so trivial, and that in itself is the flag waving from the tallest flagpole.

And what would I say to her?

I’ve slept with your brother multiple times. We’re starting something new, but that’s all we’ve discussed. Where this goes from here, who knows?

Elliot never wanted to stay in Cinnamon Springs. He has always been vocal about how much he loves being a chef in Paris. And, even if I told him to stay, he would easily get bored.

But I would never make him stay for me.

Isn’t that the whole point ofmore? To have an unwavering, deep connection and love for someone, where nothing else in the world matters but them?

“I think… I need time to process everything,” I admit, then quickly change the subject. “So, you’re coming tomorrow? I can crash at Billie’s if you want to stay here.”

“Aston booked a room at the Honey Lodge. They have the best spa, so I’m not complaining. Once the house is finished, I won’t have an excuse to stay there anymore.”

I chuckle softly. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to keep coming back.”

“Okay, listen. Let’s chat more tomorrow about the bookstore idea. In the meantime, order Guiseppe’s Chinese takeout and binge-watch something trashy. I started watchingLove Island, and let me tell you, I just want to shower all the time. Major ick from all the pashing.”

“Giuseppe has expanded his menu,” I tell Eva with a smile. “He’s doing Mexican now, too.”

“See, you’d think he’d stick to his Italian roots, but here we are.”

“Eva,” I say softly before she ends the call, “can I ask you something?”

“Anything. But if you ask whether the baby can get poked by a penis, the answer is no.”