*Shelby*“We need to talk,” Michael said, looking serious. I was so confused at the sudden shift in Michael’s demeanor. With one phone call, fun, and teasing Michael was gone. Seriousness clouded his eyes, and he wouldn’t meet mine. He put a hand on the small of my back and led me out of the office and back into the living room. Guiding me to one of the chairs in front of the fire, he did not sit next to me. Instead, he started pacing back and forth in front of the fire. He was making me anxious just watching him, and the long pause he was taking only made things worse.“Can you please just tell me what happened? Who called you?” I asked, as my eyes darted back and forth following Michael’s movements.He still didn’t immediately answer, making me worried that someone we knew had been seriously hurt.“I don’t know how to say this,” Michael said, stopping and placing his hand on the mantle of the fireplace.My stomach dropped at his words. I figured
*Michael*The cabin felt incredibly quiet after watching Shelby drive away. I couldn’t get the image out of my head of Shelby staring at me; clear hurt etched into all of her features. I hated myself for the pain I caused her, but deep down, I knew it was the only way to keep her safe.I tried to fill the last two hours with anything to distract myself from the pain of sending her away, but nothing was helping. I tried to finish the movie we started, but I was only able to focus on the lead actress's eyes and how they looked so much like Shelby’s. I ended up pacing the kitchen with a glass of whiskey held tightly in my fist.Maybe once I made sure Blaine was behind bars for good, I could reach out to Shelby and explain everything. I didn’t know if she would even want to see me then, or ever again for that matter. I wouldn’t blame her after my whole speech about how she would be better off without me. It stung me to realize that she really would be better off if she had n
*Shelby*I woke to a soft and steady beeping, but I found it hard to open my eyes. When I did, the lights were dimmed, and I was only able to make out the bumps of my feet under a mauve-colored blanket. I tried to move, but my arms felt heavy, lying on the bed. Long tubes were attached to me, but it took me a few moments to realize they were monitors and an IV, and the beeping came from a machine next to my bed, a hospital bed.Suddenly, the memory of a blinding flash of headlights came to mind. Were we in a car crash? I looked around the room, and the light was streaming in softly; I figured it must have been the early hours of the morning. Christmas Day, I realized. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed a small chair in the corner, and Michael was sitting in it.My stirring must have woken him. His eyes were sleepy, and his hair was slightly disheveled as though he had been running his hands through it. I knew he only did that when he was frustrated. I wanted to r
*Michael* I walked out of Shelby's hospital room feeling shattered. I don't know what I expected. She had every right to yell at me and wish I wasn't there. I was the reason she was there in the first place. I made my way back down to the waiting room where Bruce was sitting, but he was no longer alone; a police officer in full uniform was waiting for me to return.“You must be Mr. Michael Astor,” the officer said, rising from his seat.“That’s right. What can I help you with, sir?” I asked, glancing down at Bruce. His face gave nothing away.“I need to speak to Miss Hatton first, but I would ask that you two remain in the hospital until I return. I may need to bring you in for questioning,” the officer said.“Why do we need to be questioned in regards to a car accident?” Bruce asked. “We’ve been searching all night to find where these two were; we even made calls to the police trying to get accident reports. No one seemed able to talk to us then.”“Initi
*Shelby*“Good news Shelby,” the kind nurse with curly black hair said as she walked into my hospital room.“I get to go home today?” I offered, hoping she was coming in with my discharge paperwork.I had been promised I would get to go home today as long as I didn’t show any worrisome symptoms during the night, which I hadn’t. I couldn’t wait to get home and let my family and friends know that I was still in one piece. I knew that Lin must be frantic with worry after I told her I was on my way home, then fell off the grid for two days. I’d asked the nurses to call her, but it wouldn’t be the same as me calling her myself.“Well, yes, that is good news, but this news is different,” she held something behind her back as she made her way to my bedside.“Come on, the suspense is killing me,” I said with a little laugh.“One of the officers working your case just stopped by. They found your wallet,” she said, pulling my black leather wallet from behind her bac
*Shelby*“I think snow is useless after Christmas,” Lin said as she linked her arm with mine.“I don’t think you get to decide when the snow has to stop,” I laughed as we trudged through the soft downpour leaving our first lecture of the semester.“Well, I think I should. You know what else I think?” Lin asked.“Oh no, do I dare ask?” I said in a teasing way,“I think we head over to that little coffee shop to weather out the storm. We only have an hour and a half before the next lecture starts, and I don’t want to walk all the way back to our apartment,” Lin said.“I agree with you on that one,” I said, and we immediately changed directions making our way to one of my favorite places on campus.We walked in the front door, and the warm air inside felt like it enveloped us. The smell of coffee and pastries filled the small shop, and the warm-toned wood walls created a cozy feel in the space. Large, worn-out armchairs dotted the dining space mixed amon
*Shelby*Standing at the front of the lecture hall was the last person I wanted to see. My old friend and Michael’s only daughter. “Lauren?” I said out loud, not believing my own eyes. Lauren turned and noticed me sitting in the front seat. A wicked smile flashed across her face for a quick second before melting into something softer.“Oh my god, Shelby, I didn’t know you were in this class too.”Lauren turned her attention back to the professor, whipping her hair over her shoulder in one fluid motion. I slid down in my seat wishing I could melt into the cushions, wanting to disappear from the room. “What’s she doing here? I didn’t think she even had her undergrad done,” Lin said to me in a whisper.“Last time I talked to her, she didn’t. Although it seems a lot has changed since the last time I saw her. Just a few months ago she was engaged to my ex, ready to spend the rest of her life as a social media influencer,” I mumbled.The girl sittin
*Michael*I didn’t leave Colorado until the day Shelby was released from the hospital. Even though she didn't want me there, I couldn't bear to leave in case she changed her mind, so I stayed. Bruce refused to leave my side, even with the state of the penthouse back in New York City. Each day he would check in at the hospital to monitor Shelby's recovery. Most days, she wouldn't even let him in the room, but he always gave me peace of mind that she was on the road to recovery.The day she was discharged, I sent Bruce to pick her up and drive her to the airport, but Shelby refused to take my private jet back to Cambridge. At that point, I knew I needed to let her go. As much as I wanted to reach out to her just to make sure she was okay, I refrained. Part of me wanted to send someone from my security team to campus to keep an eye on her. Just to make sure that Blaine was keeping his distance.However, I knew if Shelby ever found out, she would be furious with