It was a great place to unwind, sitting for long periods, looking at the lush scenery. He’d plopped into his comfortable chair to take a few moments to recover, then remembered the note he’d slipped into his pocket. He tore it open, quickly digesting the message. She may as well have ripped his heart out and stomped on it. He couldn’t accept the idea that he couldn’t be with Heather. He didn’t care about his so-called “image.” Heather meant more to him than the façade he was sometimes forced to live. He didn’t doubt for a second that she meant what she wrote. He knew he hadn’t gained her confidence yet. Looking from her point of view, he really couldn’t blame her. She hadn’t asked to be pulled into his world. He couldn’t think of going on without her, not now. Things were different and she was a big part of that. Could he admit he loved her? He knew he had to have her, of that he was sure. He had no intention of hurting her, so he knew he’d have to handle things better than he had so far.
