“That’s exactly it. It’s your life. That doesn’t mean I want it to be mine.”
“What did you think was going to happen when you started dating a celebrity?”
“Obviously I wasn’t.”
My lips part in shock. I stumble back. “What are you saying?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m saying.” He blows out a breath and pushes his fingers through his hair. “I just know I can’t do this. I have to be able to trust you, Nora, and you have to know you can’t fix my problems by throwing money at them. Buying off Lorelei was a huge mistake.”
“Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t. I can’t apologize for that, because it got her off your back.”
“But that’s the thing, She wasn’t on my back. For two years, I didn’t hear a word from the woman—until you and I got involved.”
“You’re saying this is my fault?”
He props his hands on his hips, and then tosses them into the air. “No. It’s not your fault. I just…I want things to go back to the way they were. I want my life back. I want to be able to go into town without hearing people whisper or someone trying to take a picture of my kids. I don’t want the drama your life brings.”
“Are you breaking up with me?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “But I need some time to think. I need to decide the best way to move forward.”
“Let’s go away for the weekend,” I blurt, desperate to get us back on track. “I hadn’t mentioned it yet—I was waiting for Duke to leave—but Marnie called me earlier. She set me up to play an intimate concert this weekend in Nashville. It’s at a little pub. Come with me. We can get away from all of this, clear our heads, and talk through everything.”
Grayson looks appalled at the suggestion.
“I can’t.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “We were just gone, and look at the shit that went down. I can’t leave the kids again.”
“Bring them.”
“I can’t bring the kids,” he admonishes.
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t. God, it’s that easy for you, isn’t it? You want something, so you do it, and I should be the same way?”
This damn conversation isn’t going at all as I’d hoped it would.
I lower my voice and try to stay calm.
“It is that easy, Grayson. You’re just making it more complicated than it needs to be. You’re making excuses.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You’re scared. This is real. What we have is real, and you’re scared. I’m not Lorelei. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“You hurt me when you went behind my back and paid her off.”
“I am sorry you feel betrayed. That was never my intention, but I can promise you I won’t hurt you again, and I won’t hurt your kids.”
Grayson shakes his head. Maybe I’m finally getting through to him. Maybe we’re finally getting somewhere.
I take a hesitant step forward, and when he doesn’t turn away, I take another and another until I’m standing in front of him. I touch his cheek.
“We’re great together,” I whisper.
He blinks past the tears in his eyes. “We are great together, but we’re also naive for thinking a relationship between us could work.”
“It can work.”