Enchanted (The Accidental Billionaires #4)(42)

“I wanted to,” I explained. “But when he started talking about forever, I choked.”

“Do you feel like you might want forever with him?”

My eyes filled with tears. “I would. I do. That’s not the point. It doesn’t matter what I want. You know that. It wouldn’t be fair to Noah to offer him something that wasn’t mine to give.”

“That’s crap, Andie. That’s Noah’s decision to make. You should have told him everything. I get why you were reluctant before, but it’s been five years, Andie.”

The tears escaped and started to flow down my cheeks. “I don’t know if I can take that chance.”

“You won’t know unless you try. Christ, Andie! You and Noah both deserve better than the hand you were dealt in life. I wanted you two to be together in Cancún because you both deserve to be happy. Noah’s too damn serious. I can’t even remember the last time he actually smiled. I knew you could show him how to live in the moment. To enjoy the opportunities that are out there. I think Noah’s good for you, too. He’s as solid as a rock. If he cares about you, he’s always going to be there.”

“I-I know that,” I choked out. “I just don’t know if I can be there for him the same way. It wouldn’t be fair if I couldn’t.”

“Life sucks. It’s seldom fair,” he said drily. “If there’s one thing you’ve taught me, it’s to reach for every bit of happiness I can find.”

I took a deep breath, let it out, and swiped the tears from my face. “The relationship was getting out of control. Everything happened so fast.”

He grinned. “Since when do you shy away from something hard or difficult to understand?”

“Since I met your brother,” I replied wryly. “You’re right about Noah. He’s the type of guy who would always be there. Maybe that’s what fascinated me about him in the beginning. He tossed his entire life aside to be there for his family. That takes . . . somebody special.”

“That’s Noah,” he agreed. “But you’re special, too, Andie. Don’t walk away if you don’t want to. You don’t have to do that anymore. I know you only live for today, but don’t make the mistake of letting yourself get buried in the past so deep that you’re passing something by that’s worth hanging on to now.”

“It isn’t that he isn’t worth it,” I argued.

“Think about it, Andie,” he answered harshly. “What’s Noah going to think? With no explanation at all from you, he’s going to assume that he wasn’t worthy. Or that you didn’t feel that he was. Is that fair to him? At this point in his life, does he really need that kind of blow to his self-worth? He obviously cared, and you just walked away without a word. He’s been left to make his own assumptions, and Noah is pretty good at blaming himself.”

“I don’t want him to do that. It’s me. Not him.”

“Then I think you should tell him that,” Owen snapped. “At least he won’t think it’s him, and that he fucked up.”

I went to pick up the check, but Owen snatched it away. “Oh, no you don’t. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m more loaded than you are. I’m buying.”

I scowled at him. “It’s a business lunch.”

“Tough,” he answered as he pulled a bunch of bills from his wallet and dropped them on top of the check. “Let’s get going. We have a bracelet to pick up.”

I smiled weakly. “We do, right?”

The waiter came by and picked up the check. Owen told him to keep the change as we were walking out the door.

The jewelry store was just a few doors down, so we walked to it.

“I think you’re right,” I said softly as we walked side by side. “Noah has the right to know. I gave that to him when we got . . . intimate. I still don’t think I can do forever, but I should have just told him about my past.”

Owen smirked as he held the door of the jewelry store open for me. “Do you think for one single second that my stubborn older brother isn’t going to give you the fight of your life once you tell him? Noah isn’t exactly a man-whore. If he slept with you, and started talking marriage, he’s crazy about you. My big brother would take that kind of shit pretty seriously.”

I stepped into the small store, and the owner waved. “I’ll get your order,” she called happily before she disappeared into the back.

“Then maybe telling him is a mistake.” I wasn’t sure I could fight Noah when he was determined. “He is pretty bullheaded when he wants to be.”

Honestly, I didn’t want to fight Noah at all.

I wanted to get him naked and find the same bliss that we had in Cancún.

I wanted to tell him that I wanted to marry him, even though I couldn’t.

I wanted to tell him that I was ready to talk about our future, even though I wasn’t.

To be truthful, I was . . . terrified.

Owen took my arm and led me up to the counter. “No fear, Andie.”

I looked up at him and smiled. It had been our mantra since we were younger. It had gotten us in trouble more than a few times. “I don’t think that’s going to work this time,” I said, my tone melancholy.