I felt myself go still at his words, but Robert had already released me, grabbing his car keys. He looked back at me and a strange look crossed his face. In a rush, he came to me again and kissed me. Hard and almost desperate. He cupped my face in his hands and looked at me with imploring eyes. “Skylar…” His voice broke, his eyes were bright. “I love you. I wanted you to hear it now. Because I needed you to know. I love you.” He kissed me again. “I never, ever want to imagine my life without you in it.”
I was taken aback. Not because I hadn’t suspected I’d hear those words from him, but because of the way he was saying them. As if he were terrified I’d leave him. As if he had to tell me or he’d never get the chance.
What was wrong with him?
Before I got the chance to reciprocate the statement, he kissed my forehead and was out the door. It was all a bit of a whirlwind and I felt as if I had been bowled over.
I went to the window and watched him head out to his car. I stood there staring outside for a long time after he left, still trying to process what had happened.
Robert had just told me he loved me. Why did it feel like he ran away afterward? It was kind of bizarre.
I checked the time and got myself in gear.
“Come on, boy,” I called out to my dog, who eagerly followed me back to my office where I tried to concentrate on work and not the fact that my boyfriend had just told me that he loved me with absolute fear on his face.
**
I had only just started checking my emails when I heard the doorbell ring.
“What now?” I sighed. Edgar lifted his head as if to ask if he should come. I laughed and scratched him behind the ear. “You stay here. Don’t want you to put yourself out.”
I headed down the hallway to the front door. I could see a shadow on the other side and the doorbell rang again. “Okay, okay, hold your horses,” I muttered. I wasn’t expecting a delivery and it was highly unusual for any of my friends to visit without calling first.
Maybe Robert had come back. The thought made me giddy and a little nervous, given how strange he acted before he left.
I opened the door and stood there blinking in surprise.
“Um, hello?”
Tiff stood on my porch with a hesitant smile on her face. “Hi, Skylar. I hope it’s okay that I popped over unannounced.”
A slither of disquiet crept through my body. I looked around but she was alone. Her swanky red sports car was parked in the driveway. “Um, how did you know where I lived?”
Tiff looked slightly embarrassed. “I did some Googling. Found the record of your house purchase.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, not liking this at all. “That’s a lot of work to go through to track someone down. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were stalking me or something.”
“I know how this must look. I’d be freaking out if I were you—”
“That’s one way of putting it,” I countered.
“Do you mind if I come in? I’ll only be a few minutes. I just really need to talk to you. To lay some things out on the table.” Tiff didn’t appear threatening. She seemed hesitant almost.
Against my better judgment, I held open the door. “Come on in.”
She brushed past me and I was overwhelmed by her obviously very expensive perfume. She seemed to douse herself in it. She stood awkwardly in my entryway so I beckoned for her to follow me into the living room.
I noticed her looking around, taking in everything. “Your house is lovely. I really like it.”
“Thanks. I’ve put a lot of work into it.” I was starting to feel strange like I should never have let her inside. Some instinct had me wanting to ask her to leave immediately. “So, not to be rude, but I’m in the middle of my workday…” I let my words drift off, hoping she’d get to the point of her visit.
Tiff tucked her hands into her pockets and turned to me. “I’ve decided to leave Southport,” she announced.
“Oh.” I didn’t quite know what to say. I didn’t know her well enough to really care if she left town or not, but I didn’t want to say that. “Didn’t you just move to town?”
“I did. But things haven’t gone quite the way I had hoped they would.” She looked so sad that I couldn’t help but feel sympathy toward her.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Tiff. Does it have to do with the guy you were hoping to reconnect with?” I asked, putting two and two together.
Tiff started chewing on her bottom lip. “That’s why I’m here actually.” She took a deep breath as if steeling herself. “When I met you, Skylar, I felt an instant connection. I thought you were someone I could see myself becoming friends with.”
I was flattered. “Thanks, Tiff. Honestly, not many people say that about me,” I chuckled.
She laughed too. “Well, they’re idiots, because you’re absolutely lovely. And I know if I were to stay here, we’d become close. I can feel that. Can you?”
“Sure,” I agreed, more because it felt like that was what she expected me to say.
“And because I like you, Skylar, I feel it’s my duty as your almost friend to tell you—” she took another deep breath, “the man I came to Southport for, the man I planned to reconnect with, the man who I have spent the last ten years loving, is...Robert Jenkins.” She watched me closely as I digested the information.
“Robert Jenkins,” I repeated, not quite understanding what she was saying.
She nodded, her glossy blonde hair falling over her shoulder in a perfect
