Theo came back.And while he was clearly scared, he hadn’t tried fixing the situation.
But he’s here. Heistrying.
That mattered.
I stared at the ceiling, replaying the moment Theo had saidI’m not going anywhereand actually sounded as though he believed it. The way his hand had trembled a little before it steadied. The way he hadn’t reached out too fast.
Theo was learning.
I could give him the space to do that.
My eyes grew heavy, exhaustion finally catching up with me too. The emotional whiplash of the last twenty-four hours had left me wrung out and tender, but underneath it was something steadier now, a fragile optimism I was guarding carefully.
He didn’t run forever,I thought as sleep took me.He came back.
That was enough.
I drifted off with the low hum of the city outside and the quiet comfort of knowing Theo was in the next room, not perfect, not healed, but choosing to stay.
The doorbell’s buzz shattered the quiet and woke me from my doze.
I blinked, sat up, then went over to press the intercom. “Hello?”
“Cam? It’s Gary.”
My heart jumped into my throat.
Whatever calm we’d carved out was about to be tested. Because I wasn’t sure I could speak to Garyandresist the urge to lash out at him.
I pressed the button, then opened the door. Gary climbed the stairs slowly, and my first impression was that he looked as tired as I felt.
Good.
“Don’t slam the door in my face,” Gary said in a low voice when he reached the top step.
The thought had tempted me.
Gary stood there on the doormat, looking as if he didn’t quite know what to do with his hands, his shoulders hunched, his eyes rimmed red.
He looked wrecked.
I stepped out instead of letting him in, pulling the door closed behind me with careful precision. I folded my arms across my chest. “Say whatever you’ve come here to say, then leave me alone.”
Gary swallowed hard. “Cam…” His voice cracked. “I’m sorry.”
I blinked. I’d expected anger, defensiveness, a speech about power and responsibility similar to the one he’d clearly given Theo.
“I told myself Theo had crossed a line,” Gary went on. “That the painting was wrong. That your relationship was wrong.” His jaw tightened. “Thatsomethinghad to be wrong, because otherwise that would mean admitting I hurt you without ever asking what you felt.”
My chest tightened.
“I spent last night in a Premier Inn near Euston station. This morning, I went to get the train back to Manchester. But about five minutes before it was due to leave, something started eating at me.” His voice was rough. “I couldn’t stop thinking about what Ididn’tsee. What I didn’t ask. I didn’t hear your voice. I didn’t look at your face. I just… decided.” He shook his head. “I realised I’d built the whole argument without you in it.” His face contorted.
I swallowed. Whatever anger Gary had felt, it was as if he’d turned it inwards.
“And then I thought about Theo,” Gary continued. “About his face when I said Luka’s name.” His voice broke.
I gaped at him. “Why would you bringhiminto this?” No wonder Theo had broken. I narrowed my gaze. “I might notknow much about their relationship, but evenIknow that was a low fucking blow.”