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“I don’t care about chae “You didn’t mention Paris before”

“I didn’t know,” I admitted

“It’s because of the hotel?” Her eyes widened “Is it a punishment? A penance? This is because I beat you today This is about the Vieux Carre”

I didn’t want to lie to her during our last , but whyover the European arether “But the text you sent I thought I should stop by and say goodbye Tell you I’m sorry about what happened at led If she had sent it thirty minutes later, I would have already been at the airport We wouldn’t be having this conversation

“I hope you enjoy New Orleans, Kennedy”

“But you can’t go Not after what I found out,” she whispered

“And what did you find out?”

She exhaled The candle wavered “My father told er offer I knohat he proposed” She scanned my face “The offer” She couldn’t say the words

“Brokering our engagement?” I did the hard part for her

“Yes That It’s why you freaked out, isn’t it? Still shitty, but what he did…what my father tried to do…” Her hands scra over the top of my knuckles

She wasthis harder than it had to be I couldn’t stop ainst hers I leaned toward her over the table

“Is that why? Tell me truth You threw me out of your apartment after the-the… piano because he tried to force you to marry me?”

I hung my head “Shit”

“If you’re leaving, can’t you at least be honest?”

She had me What did I have to lose? “Yes I freaked out For both our sakes I kneasn’t what you wanted or what I wanted Not right now at least And to trade you for the hotel I was pissed I lashed out I’m so sorry, Kennedy”