“Ryder, you’re suspiciously quiet over there,” Eileen says, eyes narrowed. “Anything to add? Or are you perhaps not totally on board with Felicity’sjust friendsstance?”
The whole room holds their breath, waiting for me to contradict her. Felicity’s head whips in my direction. I can see the plea in her eyes, burning bright on the surface of her irises.
A normal girl.
A quiet life.
That’s all I’ve ever wanted.
My Adam’s apple bobs roughly as I hold her stare. As I realize, despite what I might want, despite my plans to win her over… I can’t force her back into this. I can’t put my nightingale in a cage and expect her to sing. Even if the thought of letting her fly away is enough to make the blood turn to ice inside my veins.
“Ryder?” Eileen prompts. “Is there any chance for a romantic reunion in the future?”
I can do this.
I can sell this lie.
Even if it fucking kills me.
“Felicity’s right.” My jaw clenches hard enough to crack my teeth. “I’m sorry to disappoint y’all, but we’re just friends. We’re… we’reover.”
There’s a hush blanketing the entire room.
“Wow… I can honestly say, I was not expecting this.” Eileen leans back in her chair, expelling a deep breath and looking around at the audience. “Are you guys as bummed as I am?”
They cheer, boo, and catcall, quite vocal in their objection. The idea of their beloved Wildwood back together for a tour… but nottogether… The thought of us reunited in every way except the one that counts most…
It’s damn near enough to start a riot.
Eileen signals for quiet three separate times before they finally simmer down. Her lips twist as she examines the two of us with shrewd eyes. “See what you’ve done, now?”
Felicity shifts uncomfortably.
I clench my teeth together.
“I suppose the only way you’ll be able to fix all those hearts you’ve just broken is by playing one of your songs…” Eileen makes atsknoise with her lips as she looks out at the crowd. “I’m ready to hear these two sing! Anyone else?”
They cheer, but it’s clear the mood of the room has shifted. Their unbounded happiness at seeing us back together is now laced through with bitter disappointment. The fairy tale they came here for is looking more like a tragedy — no happy endings in sight.
The block of ice inside my chest, the one that started to thaw when Felicity wrapped her hand around mine earlier, feels colder than ever as we rise to our feet and cross to our spots at the microphones.
I’m hers. I’ll always be hers.
But she’s not mine anymore.
Though I know it’ll be the hardest thing I’ve ever done — harder than turning my back on my parents, harder than making amends, harder than getting sober — if walking away is truly what she wants…
I won’t fight her. I won’t force her.
I love her enough to let her go.
Chapter Eleven
felicity
We’re over.
It’s what I’ve been telling myself for two years — and what I told him, that first night we saw each other again. So why is it so damn painful to hear those words coming from Ryder’s mouth? Why do I suddenly feel out of breath as we take our places at the microphones on stage left, adjusting the guitar strap over my shoulder with shaky fingers?