Longing For The Beach Billionaire Daddy
Chapter 66

*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 he had come in here to tell me that Blaine was out, and the threats had started all over again. Now, I had no idea what to expect, but I knew whatever Michael had to say, it was going to hurt.

I braced myself for his words.

“Say what?” I asked, trying to coax something out of him, anything out of him.

“I can’t do this anymore….” Michael trailed off, staring into the fire.

“Can’t do what?” I asked because his words didn’t make sense. He couldn’t mean that he was trying to end our relationship. Not after he had just spent the day teaching me to ski, holding my hand so I wouldn’t fall, cheering for me at the bottom of the slope, and wrapping me in an enthusiastic hug when I showed improvement.

That was what someone who was in love did, not someone who was going to break up with their girlfriend that night.

My mind raced; maybe he was talking about running his company. Maybe he was giving all of it up?

Michael let out a long exhale.

“I can’t do this anymore… I can’t do us anymore,” Michael elaborated.

My worst fear had come true. I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. I felt like I couldn’t swallow. Michael continued on in my silence. He started speaking faster, as though he had to get the words out before he lost the nerve.

“These past few months have been truly amazing, Shelby. I feel so lucky that I got a chance to share this time with you, but I have come to the realization that this relationship cannot continue. I shouldn’t have let it go this far in the first place, and I am so sorry for that. You have so much more of your life to live, and I am only going to slow you down,” Michael said, slowly turning to meet my gaze.

I opened my mouth to argue his point. I wanted to tell him that I had lived so much more in the few months I had known him than ever before. I had seen more of the world and done so many things out of my comfort zone, all because he was by my side. I was happier with him than I ever was without him.

Before I could speak, Michael put his hand up to stop me, which was unnecessary because I still could not get the words to leave my mouth. The lump in my throat only felt like it was growing.

“Please don’t argue. I have thought a lot about this, and you won’t change my mind. I am nearly twice your age, Shelby. Our age gap won’t always seem as trivial as it does now. One day I won’t be able to keep up with you. I am afraid there will come a day when you resent me for my age. I think it best that we leave our relationship here while we can both look back at the memories with fondness because we really have had some of the best memories with each other,” Michael explained.

Michael’s words finally stopped as though he had come to the end of his rehearsed speech. I was left feeling completely dumbstruck, still not understanding why he was ending things now, after everything we had been through.

“Where did this come from?” I finally choked out, tears burning behind my eyes.

“I want you to experience life to the fullest, and I will only hold you back. Go back to Cambridge, graduate at the top of your class like I know you will, and go become the best lawyer out there. I know that it is hard now, but one day you will look back and realize that this is the best thing for both of us,” Michael said, not really answering my question.

I stared into Michael’s eyes, searching for any clue as to what was really going on. Sadness shadowed his usually bright green eyes, but they betrayed nothing. A single tear streamed down my cheek. His words stung and still felt so out of nowhere.

Earlier today, Michael seemed so happy. I don’t know who called Michael, but I knew that whoever it was caused this change in him.

“The driver is pulling the car around. He is going to drive you to the airport. I think it best if you go pack now. It won’t help either of us to drag this out,” Michael said.

I stood, not sure how to process what had happened; it’d all come on so fast. The fact that he had not only ended things but was now sending me away added a new layer of hurt. I wanted to run, to protect myself.

“Shelby, I am so sorry. Please believe me that I care deeply about you. I just want what is best….”

“Just stop,” my voice was raspy and quiet from trying to hold back the tears.

I shook my head as I stared into Michael’s eyes. There was nothing he could say that would make any of this okay. To make this hurt any less. I turned my back on him, not able to look at him any longer.

I walked numbly up the stairs and into the bedroom that Michael and I had shared just the night before. My ski gear was hung over the back of the chair to dry after our day on the slopes. My suitcase was resting on the seat just below. I flung open the lid, and on top of my clothes sat Michael’s present.

It wasn’t expensive or extravagant, but I had been so excited to see his face when he saw it. Instead, I took it out of my suitcase and set it on his nightstand. I didn’t know if he would even open it, but I couldn’t bear leaving here with it. I stuffed my ski gear in the present’s previous place and zipped up my suitcase.

The sound of the whirling wheels echoed down the empty hallway as I made my way back downstairs. I kept my eyes focused on the front door, not wanting to see if Michael was standing there waiting for me. It would hurt even more if he weren’t standing in the living room to say goodbye.

I didn’t find out either way, and I reached the front door without knowing for sure if he was there.

A burst of cold air hit my face, and snowflakes scattered across the hardwood floor when I opened the front door. I could barely make out the car through the snow, headlights illuminating my way down the stairs to the driveway. The driver took my bag without a word and held the back door open for me.

I slid in, but I couldn’t help but look back at the illuminated front room of the cabin. I could just make out Michael’s silhouette standing next to the fireplace before Bruce shut the car door. He had watched me leave without saying anything. He was really letting me go.

I let the tears flow freely, landing on the black leather seats. Michael’s driver was kind enough to let me cry in peace, simply handing me a small pack of tissues before taking off down the driveway.

As we pulled onto the highway, my tears slowed enough for me to pull out my phone and text Lin. I kept it brief, not wanting to go into the details right now.

Shelby: Hey, Lin. I just wanted to let you know that I’m heading back to the apartment early. I’ll text you as soon as I land.

Lin: Thanks for letting me know, but that text doesn’t explain why you are going home early. Did something happen?

Shelby: Everything fell apart Lin. I don’t know what to do or what to think.

Lin: What is going on? Why did you have to leave on Christmas Eve?

Shelby: I am honestly not sure what happened, Lin. We spent the day skiing together. We laughed, talked, and kissed like everything was fine. Then Michael ended things out of nowhere.

Lin: He did what?! Did he give you a reason?

Shelby: I honestly can’t wrap my head around what just happened. I just wanted someone to know what was going on. I’m not really up for answering questions right now. My head is spinning at how fast everything just changed.

Lin: I’ll pack up as soon as we’re done opening presents in the morning. My brother’s kids will be up with the sunrise, so I can be on the road early. You don’t have to go through this alone.

Shelby: Don’t be silly. Just come home when you planned. We can talk then. I miss you a whole bunch.

Lin: I miss you too. I will be there tomorrow. Just let me know when you land and get back to the apartment.

I set my phone in my lap, not sure how I was going to get through an entire plane ride. All I wanted was to collapse into my own bed and disappear into the blankets. I pushed my focus out the front window, trying to gauge just how far we were from the airport.

I couldn’t see through the snowstorm raging outside the car, and my blurry eyes didn’t help. I wasn’t sure how long we had been driving when a flash of headlights streamed through the front windshield.

Then everything went dark.