With unshed tears brimming in her eyes, her chest rising and falling with emotion, she watched him, waited for him to snap out of it, to realize all she needed right now was his arms around her, his lips pressing to her temple in comfort and understanding. He was a bright guy…

But not when it came to himself.

This was about more than her contest loss for him—she recognized that on some level, but right now, she didn’t have it in her to care. Right now, she needed to be reassured, cared for. She was exhausted, she was reeling, and she didn’t have the energy to convince him he was a good person.

Her heart heavy, so very sad and heavy, she picked up her phone from the couch and stuffed it in the back pocket of her jeans. She trudged to the stool at the breakfast bar, picked up her overnight bag, and stuffed her feet into her sneakers.

“What are you doing?” Cole asked as she grabbed her coat from the back of the couch.

“I’m leaving.”

“I thought you were staying tonight.” There was a thread of anger in his voice, and that did it. The reins she’d been holding on to by a thread broke loose.

“I thought I was too, but I don’t have it in me to do this.”

“Do what? Us?” he said.

That wasn’t what she’d meant but… He didn’t get it. He so didn’t get it. “I’m going home so I can nurse my wounds, make peace with losing the biggest opportunity of my life. My life, Cole! All I needed was a hug, an I’m sorry you didn’t win, not because you feel responsible but because you understand I’m hurting. Somehow you’ve made my loss all about you because you have issues that you need to figure out.” Her volume increased the longer she went on, but she was nowhere near stopping now that she’d started.