“That’s the real reason you said you didn’t love me when I asked?”
He nods, running the backs of his fingers along my neck with a hesitant touch. “Yes…but that’s not the only reason you left.”
Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself for what comes next.
“Your mother got wind of you staying here. It didn’t take long for her to figure out who I was. I knew if she searched hard enough, she’d eventually uncover what we did. She forbade you to see me, but you never listened to her. And I knew you wouldn’t start now. The harder you fought with her, the more determined you were to stay.
“We fought over your future, putting a strain on our already rocky relationship. You believed I was pushing you away because I didn’t love you anymore. That when I looked at you, all I saw was what you did.
“O
