“Harper!” Noah yells and I can hear the fucking fear in his tone. “Stop! Don’t you dare get in that fucking car!”

           I slam the door shut and spin around. “What, Noah? What do you fucking want from me? It’s over. I never signed up for a hidden love that you had magically waiting somewhere to come back and ruin this…this…this fucking thing between us!”

           “No!” He commands with fear in his tone. “You don’t get to fucking leave. You told me to kiss her. And I did. And I chose you! I will always choose you! I fucking love you!”

           My jaw hurts so fucking bad from the anger tightening it. “And that kiss says otherwise, Noah. Read the fucking room. In fact. Read your fucking book. You don’t get it, do you? I managed to read a lot of that book on the flight. It’s just about done. I’ve pieced it all together. And somehow your stupid ass cannot seem to put the pieces together.”

           “What are you talking about?” I beg in a confused and defeated-sounding tone. “What pieces? I chose you and I love you!”

           “You don’t, Noah! You want to love me. You might be in love with me. But it’s not my turn. The universe interjected me into your life when it wasn’t supposed to. And that makes sense considering everything that has gone on between us. That kiss was supposed to be quick, and that was it. You have no fucking idea how strong that tension between you two is. I could feel it. I was hurt, yet wildly turned on at the same fucking time.”

           “No!” He argues. “I don’t care. I love you.”

           “Your wife didn’t leave you for another man, Noah. She left you because you could no longer give her the love she wanted from you. But you couldn’t see it. It was about Stacey. Always Stacey and you were too fucking blind to see it.”

“I loved Ivy.” He argues, and I can see the pleading in his eyes. “Stacey was in the background, yes. But it was always Ivy for me. So that’s a lie.”

“You spent a few years away from Stacey and could only handle being away from her because you were able to write about and imagine her in your head. How many times did you fuck your wife, imagining Stacey? You were quick to jump on me. And I’ve realized while reading the book and now seeing her, that she and I have a FUCK TON in common. You are in denial, Noah. Ivy left you because she knew how madly in love you are with Stacey.”

           “That’s not true.” He argues, but I raise a finger to stop him.

           “It’s not?” I question. “Then answer me this. Did she or did she not leave you after reading your book? Did you not talk about Stacey all the time around her? And the fucking bathroom at the restaurant after your wife made you stop? Come on! You cheated on your fucking wife after you promised her you wouldn’t. And your stupid ass wrote it in your fucking book without thinking that one over.”

           “It wasn’t cheating. And either way, I’m not with Ivy. This isn’t about Ivy. This is about you and me.” He argues, his eyes pleading with me. “Babe! I don’t want Stacey. I want you. And…”

           “Okay!” I exclaim, growing angrier. “Then why hasn’t she walked out of your office? She’s in there waiting for me to leave. Did you tell her to fucking wait? I bet you did!”

           I can feel the tears beginning to stream down my cheeks. My heart aches, and my life feels like it’s been torn in two. But I can’t keep this relationship with him. Not knowing that Stacey has more of his heart than anyone else does.

           I wipe the tears from my cheeks as a painful smile fills my face. “We can’t keep this relationship, Noah. Look. You are hardly fighting for me right now. It’s like you’re torn, also. You don’t know what you want. And that fucking sucks.”

           “I love you, Harper.” He says with pain radiating in his tone. “I want you. Stacey is my past. You are my future. And there is no other way.”

           “There is another way.” I interrupt him. “Because even if I let myself stay with you and give you that future, I will never know if you’re truthful with me. God, this fucking sucks! I wish I never read that damn book.”

           “So, share this life with me!” He begs. “I’m promising you…”

           “You can’t promise shit!” I snap. “How do all of these women want you after reading that you are conflicted, and another woman will always have your heart. How?”

           “Just like you.” He says, lowering his head. “You love me, Harper. And I don’t want to do this without you.”

           I point toward the building, tears pouring out of my eyes. “Then go into that office right fucking now and tell Stacey you will never see her again. Tell her to leave and to never speak to you again!”

           He slowly shakes his head. “That’s not fair. It’s not like…”

           “See!” I snap even louder. “You can’t even tell the one person who’d tear us in two that she needs to leave you alone. You’re allowing her to be here. You fucking want her here. And I can’t have a relationship like that. It’s fucking wrong. Goodbye, Noah.”

           “No!” He wraps his hand around my arm. “Harper. Don’t leave. I’ll tell her to go.”

           I scoff in psychotic amusement. “You can’t even hear yourself right now. You sound disappointed about letting another woman know she’s the problem, and the one you truly love is the solution. Explain that shit…you know what. Forget it. Goodbye, Noah.”