Chapter 150 Chapter closed

Chapter 150 Chapter closed
Dylan's POV

If this is a dream...

Please don't wake me up.

I'm serious.

Let me stay here forever.

Hell, I'd happily sleep for the next hundred years if it meant waking up to Emma smiling at me the way she did today.

I unlock my car with the biggest grin on my face.

My cheeks actually hurt.

When was the last time I smiled this much?

Honestly, I can't even remember.

A laugh escapes me as I start the engine.

“She didn't push me away.” I shake my head, still unable to believe it. “She actually kissed me back.”

Not because she felt guilty. Not because of Dawn. But because she wanted to.

The memory plays in my head for what has to be the hundredth time.

Her whisper.

‘Fuck it.’

Then her lips on mine.

I let my forehead fall against the steering wheel for a second and laugh to myself.

“I am never getting over this woman.”

The drive back to the hotel flies by. I spend half of it humming under my breath like an idiot and the other half thinking about tomorrow.

I proposed a dinner. A proper dinner with no baby cries or awkward interruptions. Just me and Emma.

This time, I'm telling her everything. No holding back. No half-truths. No hiding behind fear.

I'm going to apologize for every stupid decision I've made, and I'm finally going to tell her the truth. That I never stopped loving her. Not for one day of even for the tiniest second.

Every date people tried setting me up on...

Every woman who showed interest...

None of them were her. None of them ever could be.

Emma has always been it for me, and hopefully, she'll tell me she still loves me too tomorrow.

The thought makes me smile all over again.

God.

Dawn really is a miracle.

If it wasn't for our little girl, I honestly don't know if I'd have ever found my way back into Emma's life.

Children really are blessings, as they say.

Mine just happens to be the tiniest, loudest blessing on the planet.

I chuckle to myself as I walk into the hotel lobby and press the elevator button. The doors slide open with a soft chime, and a few moments later they open again on my floor.

As I make my way down the hallway, my mind is already wandering back to perfect restaurants. I need somewhere quiet. Somewhere Emma would like. Definitely somewhere with good dessert because she'll probably steal half of mine anyway.

The thought makes me smile for the umpteenth time today.

As I get closer to my hotel room, I stop in my tracks. Someone is squatting outside my door. That makes the earlier smile disappears from my face so fast it almost hurts.

No...

Please don't be…

The woman lifts her head and I recognize the short black hair immediately.

For one second, I think about turning around with the hope that she hasn't seen me yet.

Unfortunately...

“Dylan?”

Damn it.

I mutter a curse under my breath before forcing myself to turn around.

“...Hey, Kate.” I rub the back of my neck, already feeling the headache coming. “Didn't see you there.”

She lets out a dry laugh.

“No, you did.” She stands up and folds her arms. “You were just about to run away so you wouldn't have to deal with me.”

I sigh. “Kate...”

“Did I do something wrong?” she asks, her voice already starting to crack. “Am I that unattractive?”

“Hey, hey.” I close the distance between us before anyone in the hallway starts paying attention. “Let's not do this out here.”

She doesn't move.

I lower my voice. “Please.”

After a long second, she nods.

I swipe my key card against the lock and push the door open.

“Come inside.”

She walks in without saying another word.

I shut the door behind us before turning to face her, then just stand there for a second, shaking my head.

“First of all...” I exhale. “How did you even know I was in New Jersey? Better yet, how did you know which hotel?”

“I asked Jasper.”

Of course she did.

“And...” She hesitates. “Your location's still shared with me.”

I blink. “It is?”

She nods. “I got here about thirty minutes after you left this morning.”

My brows pull together.

“Wait.” I glance at the clock on the bedside table before looking back at her.

“Since this morning?” I ask, completely stunned. “Kate... have you seriously been sitting outside my room all day?”

She gives a small shrug. “You weren't answering my messages.”

A guilty sigh slips out of me.

“Kate...”

I walk over and gently rest both hands on her shoulders. She looks up at me immediately, and the hope in her eyes almost makes me look away.

“I'm sorry,” I say quietly. “You've honestly been one of the best friends I've ever had, but we can't keep doing this.”

Her face falls. “I don't want to be just your friend, Dylan.” A tear rolls down her cheek. “I waited for you.”

She wipes at her face with the back of her hand before more tears replace the first.

“I've known you for over a year, Dylan. I was there when you almost gave up on hockey because you couldn't get over Emma.”

I stay quiet.

“I was the one talking sense into you the week before the Olympics.”

“I know.”

“I waited.” Her voice cracks. “I knew you weren't ready, so I waited.”

Another tear slips free.

“You knew I liked you.” She laughs bitterly. “You knew... and you still let me stay.”

My chest tightens. “Kate...”

“Please.” She shakes her head. “You can't just get rid of me.”

I let out a slow breath. “What do you expect me to do?”

“You have a child,” she says quickly, answering her own question. “I know.”

“I have responsibilities now.”

“I don't care.” She steps closer. “I can be good to your daughter.”

I stare at her.

“I'm good with kids, Dylan.” Her voice is trembling now. “I can be a good mother to her.”

“Kate...”

“I didn't pressure you when you couldn't get over Emma.” Tears keep spilling down her cheeks. “I waited.”

She laughs through the tears. “Please don't let me wait for nothing.”

My stomach twists.

“I've already wasted years on men who promised me everything, only to leave when they found somebody else.”

I remember that conversation. She'd laughed while telling me about it. But I remember hearing the hurt underneath every word.

Now I finally understand why she's so scared. She isn't just losing me. She thinks history is repeating itself.

“Kitty...” I say softly.

The nickname only makes her cry harder. She looks up at me with red, swollen eyes.

“What does she have that I don't?”

I don't answer.

“I can do everything she can.” Her voice breaks. “I can love you with my whole heart.” She presses a hand against her chest. “I can make you happy.”

“Kate...”

“I can—”

“You're not her.” The words leave my mouth before I can soften them.

She goes completely still.

“You're not Emma.” I swallow hard. “And you're never going to be her. No matter what you do.”

She closes her eyes. When she opens them again, they're overflowing.

“Dylan...” she whispers. “Please, I love you.” She steps closer until there's barely any space between us. “Don't do this.”

I gently wipe away the tears running down her cheeks with my thumb.

“I'm sorry.”

She lets out a broken sound before dropping her forehead against my chest.

“No...” she sobs. “Please...”

I wrap my arms around her without thinking. Not because I love her that way. But because I hate seeing anyone cry like this.

She clutches the front of my shirt, crying so hard her shoulders shake.

“I can be the one for you too,” she says between sobs. “You just have to give me one chance.”

I close my eyes. “It won't be possible.”

She slowly lifts her head. For a second I think she's finally accepted it. Instead, she rises onto her toes. I catch what she's about to do immediately and lean back.

“Kate.” My voice comes out firmer this time. “Don't do that.”

She freezes. Embarrassment flashes across her face before she quickly looks away.

“...I'm sorry.”

Neither of us speaks for a long moment. Finally she wipes her face again and lets out a shaky breath.

“It's my fault.” She gives me a sad smile. “I read too much into something that was never really there.”

I don't know how to respond to that.

Instead, I ask quietly, “Did you rent a hotel?”

She shakes her head. “I'll find a motel.”

“You're leaving tomorrow?”

“I have work.” She laughs weakly. “I've already risked enough coming here.”

That hits me harder than I expect. She really came all this way hoping I'd choose her.

“Bye, Dylan.”

She gives me one last look before walking toward the door.

I watch her disappear down the hallway with red, swollen eyes.

The door clicks shut behind her. For a long moment, I just stand there. Then I pull my phone out of my pocket.

First, I turn off the location we'd still been sharing. Then I scroll down to her contact. My thumb lingers over it for a second.

Finally...

Delete.

The contact disappears.

I stare at the empty screen before slipping the phone back into my pocket.

I let out a long breath.

I guess this chapter between me and Kate is finally closed.