Ask me to stay.
His eyes burn into mine, and when my eyes fill with tears, he makes a move toward me, his expression almost tender, then changing his mind, he turns on his heel and heads for the door, and out of the room.
Chapter Thirty One
Aidan
I had to resist the urge to take her in my arms and comfort her.
Ridiculous.
Comfort her for breaking my heart, again.
I’m angry. Angry, sad, humiliated and fucking desperate. I slam out of her dressing room, eager to get as far away from her as possible.
After a quick train ride home, I get my car keys and head out of the city, wishing I still had my bike. To Landon’s relief, I gave that machine up after Liz crushed my heart the first time.
I can measure my adult life by the heartbreaks by Liz. The realization is darkly funny, but I’m in no mood to laugh.
A few hours later, I pull into the driveway at Windbreakers. The beautiful mansion stands on a bluff, overlooking the ocean on one side. It’s the house where I mostly grew up. It’s the place where my father died when I took his already broken heart and shattered it even more.
Maybe Liz is my punishment.
The house looks empty from the outside. Wilson and Betty, the Hayes, have a built-in apartment and rarely use the multitude of rooms in the main house. I let myself in, and as I close the door behind me, the light comes on and I see a bleary-eyed Wilson in a dressing gown.
“Aidan.” He looks surprised to see me.
“We didn’t know you were coming.” Betsy follows close behind him, concern etched on her face. She hurries up to the door as fast as her cane will let her, and studies my face, looking for signs of stress, or residue from Liz’s destruction.
I offer a smile to put her at ease, feeling bad for giving them reasons to be concerned. “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
“Is everything all right? With work? With the play? Have you spoken to Landon?”
I shake my head. “I’m just tired,” I tell her. “Go back to bed. I’m going straight to sleep.”
“After I make you something to eat,” she insists. “A sandwich?”
I accept and we all go to the kitchen. Wilson makes conversation about the play while Betsy watches as I dutifully consume the sandwich.
They linger for a while before going back to bed. I head to my old bedroom and stay only a moment before heading out to the back porch.
It’s dark, but the moon is full, and I can see the waves as they crash on the beach. I try not to think of my dad, and that last night.
I killed him.
Now, it’s my turn, to lose what I love. To watch my life return to the emptiness of lacking Liz.
Is this what I deserve, dad?
There’s no answer.
I walk along the beach until the cold drives me back inside. Then I go up to my room and fall asleep.
“Uncle Aidan!”
“Is he awake?”
“No, he’s asleep.”