18. Nate
Chapter eighteen
Nate
The moment the truth hit me; it was like the ground beneath my feet shifted. Liz was gone—really gone—and it was all my fault. I’d stood by while she packed her things, convinced myself I was doing the noble thing by letting her leave. But noble was just another word for coward.
I can’t let this end like this.
Without hesitation, I grab my car keys and head straight for Bryan’s house. The drive feels endless, each passing second taunting me with the thought of Liz slipping further out of reach. My mind races with everything I want to say, everything I should’ve said.
By the time I pull into Bryan’s driveway, my chest is tight with anticipation. I slam the car door shut and stride to the front door, not even bothering to knock before pounding on it.
Bryan opens the door, his face instantly darkening when he sees me. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I step inside without waiting for an invitation, my heart pounding. “I need to talk to Liz,” I say, my voice firm.
Bryan doesn’t budge, his arms crossing over his chest. “She’s not here, Nate.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. “What do you mean she’s not here?”
“She’s gone,” he says coldly. “And honestly? Good for her.”
I blink, trying to process what he’s saying. “Gone? Gone where?”
Bryan glares at me, his jaw tight. “Does it matter? She’s finally putting herself first for once. She deserves better than whatever mess you’ve been putting her through.”
“That’s not fair,” I say, my voice rising. “You don’t know what’s been going on—”
“Oh, I know enough,” Bryan cuts me off, stepping closer. “I know you’ve been leading her on, making her think there was something real between you two, only to let your ex-wife waltz back into your life like nothing ever happened.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I argue, but even to my own ears, the words sound weak.
Bryan scoffs, shaking his head. “Save it, Nate. I don’t care what excuses you have. The fact is, you hurt her. And now she’s gone because of you.”
His words cut deeper than I expected, because deep down, I know he’s right. I’ve been running from my feelings, hiding behind excuses and fear. And in doing so, I’ve pushed away the one person who made me feel alive again.
“I know I screwed up,” I admit, my voice raw. “I’ve been a coward, and I hate myself for it. But I can’t let her go, Bryan. I can’t.”
Bryan narrows his eyes at me, his stance still defensive. “And what exactly do you plan to do about it? Beg her to come back? Promise her the world, only to let her down again?”
“No,” I say firmly. “This time, I’m going to fight for her. I’m done running. I’m done being afraid.”
Bryan studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re too late, Nate. She’s already gone.”
My stomach drops. “Gone? Gone where?”
“She left for the airport an hour ago,” Bryan says, his tone softening slightly. “She’s not coming back, Nate. And from my point of view, not hers, not unless you give her a real reason to.”
I don’t think. I don’t hesitate. I turn on my heel and head for the door, my mind already racing with the possibilities.
“Nate,” Bryan calls after me, his voice wary.
I pause, glancing back at him.
“She’s hurt, man. You can’t just show up and expect her to forgive you.”
“I know,” I say quietly. “But I have to try. I can’t let her go without telling her how I feel.”
Bryan sighs, shaking his head. “Good luck, Nate. You’re going to need it.”
I nod, the weight of his words settling over me as I climb back into my car and head for the airport.
The drive feels like an eternity, every red light and slow-moving car mocking my urgency. My heart pounds in my chest, a mix of fear and determination driving me forward.
What if I’m too late?
The thought sends a fresh wave of panic through me, and I grip the steering wheel tighter, pushing the car faster.
By the time I pull into the airport parking lot, my hands are shaking. I sprint inside, scanning the crowds for any sign of her.
“Liz,” I whisper under my breath, my eyes darting from one face to the next. “Come on, where are you?”
And then I see her.
She’s standing near the security checkpoint, her carry on case by her side, her expression distant. Even from this distance, I can see the stiffness in her shoulders, the tension in her stance. She looks like she’s holding it together, but I can see the pain in her eyes—the same pain that’s been eating away at me since she left.
“Liz!” I call out, my voice cutting through the noise of the terminal, louder than I intended, but I don’t care.
Her head snaps up, her eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, she just stares, like she can’t believe I’m here. Like she’s unsure if I’m real or some cruel trick her mind has conjured.
I close the distance between us quickly, my heart pounding in my chest. “Liz,” I say again, softer this time, as if her name is the only word I know.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, her voice trembling. Her case handle trembles under her grip.
“I can’t let you go,” I say simply, the weight of those words hitting me just as hard as they hit her.
Her brows knit together, confusion and frustration flickering across her face. “Nate, you can’t just show up here and—”
“I love you,” I interrupt, the words spilling out before I can stop them. It’s the only truth that matters right now, and I need her to hear it.
She freezes, her eyes wide, searching mine for something. I hold my breath, willing her to believe me, to see that I mean every word.
“I know I’ve screwed up,” I continue, my voice raw. “I’ve been selfish and scared, and I’ve hurt you in ways I’ll never forgive myself for. But I can’t let you leave without telling you how I feel.”
“Nate…” she whispers, her voice barely audible, and I can see the walls she’s built around her heart starting to crack.
“You’ve changed my life, Liz,” I say, stepping closer. “You’ve made me believe in things I thought I’d lost forever—happiness, love, a future. And I’m not letting you go without a fight. Not again. I love you so much that my heart aches to think I am losing you.”
Her eyes fill with tears, her lips trembling as she fights to hold them back. For a moment, I think she’s going to walk away, and the thought nearly breaks me.
She takes a shaky breath, her voice breaking as she says, “You really mean that?”
“More than anything,” I say, my hands reaching for hers. “Please, Liz. Don’t leave. Stay. With me. With Max. Let’s figure this out together.”
"And Becky?"
"She is gone. It was all a lie planned to get money from me,"
"That’s horrible,"
"Yes, but it’s Becky so I'm not so surprised,"
She comes to me. Her fingers are soft in mine, but there’s hesitation in her touch, as if she’s afraid to trust me, to believe that this could be real.
For a long moment, she doesn’t say anything. Then, slowly, she nods. “Okay,” she whispers, her voice so quiet I almost miss it.
Relief floods through me, and I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly. She feels so small, so fragile, and I never want to let her go. “I’m not going to mess this up,” I promise, my voice fierce with conviction. “Not this time.”
“I’m holding you to that,” she murmurs, her voice muffled against my chest. Her arms wrap around me hesitantly at first, then with more certainty, as if she’s letting herself believe in this, in us.
I pull back just enough to look at her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You’re my world, Liz,” I say softly, my voice trembling with emotion. “You and Max. You’re everything.”
A tear slips down her cheek, and I catch it with my thumb. “You better mean that,” she whispers, her lips curving into the smallest of smiles.
“I do,” I say, my voice steady. “With everything I have.”
And then I kiss her. It’s slow and tender, a kiss filled with everything I’ve been holding back, everything I should have said sooner. She melts into me, her hands clutching the front of my shirt as if she’s afraid to let go.
When we finally pull apart, she rests her forehead against mine, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “You’re impossible, you know that?” she says, her voice trembling with a mixture of exasperation and affection.
I chuckle, my hands framing her face. “But you love me anyway.”
She doesn’t deny it. Instead, she smiles, the kind of smile that makes me feel like I’ve just won the world. “I do,” she whispers, and the sound of those words is everything I didn’t know I needed.
As we stand there, surrounded by the chaos of the airport, I feel like the world has finally shifted back into place.
Liz is my world now, and I’m never letting her go.