Chapter 29
IN SWITZERLAND, I FELL IN LOVE
DECLAN
I was pacing the hotel lobby, unsure if I should give Claire the space she requested or run after her and beg her to speak to me.
This was a disaster.
I wasn’t sure how she found out about the kiss but it didn’t matter—I should’ve told her the truth the second I got home last night. She deserved the truth. She deserved to know my real feelings for her.
I walked back into the party, ready to make one final round of goodbyes and go after my girl.
About halfway through the room, Sarah stepped in front of me.
“Declan,” she cooed, running a hand up my arm. “I was hoping we could talk about last night.”
I took a step back and crossed my arms. “I’m sure you were.”
Her smile faltered a little at my tone.
“Do you want to go find somewhere private to talk?” She inched closer to me as both palms now landed on my chest.
I just shook my head in disbelief. “Just fucking leave it, Sarah.”
“Leave what?”
I pinched my nose as a sigh escaped me. “Get it through your spoiled fucking skull. We are not getting back together. I’m in love with Claire. Even if I wasn’t, I don’t want you. For the love of fucking God, leave me alone.”
Sarah’s eyes went dark in a way I’d never seen before. She crossed her arms and popped one hip.
“You really think that dumb little assistant loves you? She only wants your money. She doesn’t understand what it takes to be married to this business.”
My eyes went wide at her comment about my assistant. How long had she known?
“Claire is a better person than you will ever be. She actually has a soul instead of a black pit where her heart should be.”
I turned on my heels and headed for the door. I didn’t want to be here without Claire. I didn’t want to be here, period. I wanted to be home, with my girl in my arms.
As I was leaving the ballroom, Tom approached me with a smile.
“Heading out?” He asked.
“Yeah, looking forward to a few days alone with Claire.”
“Good for you man.” He moved to walk past me, but I caught him by the shoulder.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but know who you’re getting into bed with. Take it from me, Sarah will turn on you the second you don’t give her what she wants. You deserve better.”
There was no shock on his face. Nothing I said struck him in any way that he’d get defensive. It was almost like he knew exactly what I was saying and expected it.
I squeezed his shoulder before walking past.
“Dex!” he called after me.
I glanced over my shoulder.
He raised his glass in my direction. “I’m happy for you man. You deserve a girl as good as Claire.”
I nodded in return as unsaid words passed between us. Almost like he was waving the white flag. Who knows, maybe there was a world in which Tom and I ended up in some weird friendship. We could bond over our psychotic ex.
I exited the main lodge and briskly walked down the path toward town.
The entire walk, I thought about Claire.
I thought about how lucky I was that she was in my life.
I thought about all of the ways I could grovel to make this up to her.
I thought about all of the ways I could show her how I felt, every single day.
When I turned the corner to the chalet, I saw the red color of taillights driving in the distance. Something in my gut sank as I burst into a sprint. I tore through the front door of the chalet and bolted up the stairs, swinging Claire’s door open and stopping in my tracks.
Her suitcase was gone and her closet was empty. All of her perfumes and makeup products that had been thrown across the dresser were missing.
She was gone.
She was fucking gone.
I shuffled my feet toward her bed and noticed an envelope sitting there. I grabbed it in my fist and sank onto the mattress. The mattress I’d slept on last night, holding her against me.
I let my head drop as my elbows rested on my knees. The white envelope felt impossibly heavy in my hands.
I let out a breath and opened the envelope, slipping the paper out and unfolding it. As my eyes tracked over Claire’s words, I swallowed the emotions that threatened to consume me.
Declan,
I know you thought I would still be here when you got home, but I had to go.
This trip was better than my wildest dreams. Everything about it was perfect.
You were perfect. I am confident that you’re going to get that promotion.
Everything we set out to do this month, we did.
Now, it’s time for us to come to a close.
At the end of the day, we are different people on every different paths.
Paths that don’t intersect. This wasn’t supposed to last or be real.
It was meant to stay here. In Switzerland, I fell in love. Now, I go back to real life.
So thank you for showing me how to come out of my shell. Thank you for being so kind to me. Thank you for showing me what I should look for in a relationship one day. I will never forget our merry little alpine love affair.
Xoxo,
Gummy Bear Claire
P.S. I stole a gummy bear for the flight home.
When I looked up, I caught a glimpse of light reflecting off of something on the dresser. Emotions got caught in my throat when I realized it was Claire’s ring. The ring she never wanted. The ring that wasn’t meant for her.
I felt tears forming in my eyes. I was not someone who cried or gave into their emotions. I was a problem solver. I was someone who ignored the intrusive thoughts that told me my heart was broken.
Except, now I wasn’t because Claire opened me up.
Fucking fantastic.
I pressed my pointer finger and thumb into my eyes and gave myself a moment before pulling it together.
I needed a plan.
Originally, this was supposed to stay in Switzerland.
But, that was also bullshit. We might’ve been opposites.
We might fight when we get back to Texas because my laundry is everywhere and I fucked up her organizational system, but that was us.
We were the perfect match, and I think she knew it too.
I think she was scared and hurt so she ran. And I don’t blame her for that, but there is nowhere in the world that Claire could run that I wouldn't find her.
The entire night, I couldn’t sleep. I paced the chalet, making a plan. Claire wanted space—I got that. But, I wasn’t ready to stop fighting for her. If she would just fucking talk to me then we could work this out.
I tried calling her at least a dozen times without a response. She could try ignoring me but I wouldn’t give up that easily.
Claire was wrong about a lot of things in her letter. She was wrong about being so different that we couldn't work. She was wrong about this not being real. She was wrong about us ending.
There was one thing she got right, though.
In Switzerland, I fell in love.