More Of You - One for the Ages // Book Two

Chapter 16

HARRY

I could hear my name being called but I was hardly in the mood to answer. I knew it was Gemma which just made me want to answer less. With all the banging going on around me, I was shocked I didn't have a pounding headache. I'd never been around for a renovation before, I usually just put a builder and a designer on the job and went off to tour but this house was different and I felt like I needed to be here every step of the way.

Gemma stepped over a few piles of materials before she made it to the table where I was standing,

"Did you hear rne? I've been yelling for an hour!"

"You only got here 2 minutes ago." I answered without taking my eyes off the blueprints in front of me.

She scoffed,

"So you did hear me." She stood next to me, "What are these?"

"Preliminary plans..."

Gemma sighed,

"Have no idea what I'm lookin' at."

I pointed towards a few things,

"Wall going away...wall going away...taking away one bedroom to create a big master suite..." I held my arms out, "Big kitchen island."

"Are you alright with everything?"

I nodded with a deep sigh,

"Might have to talk about some measurements but other than that it seems like what I asked."

She shook her head,

"No...I meant...everything."

I still wasn't ready to have this conversation with anyone but out of everyone I knew could handle my mood swings, Gemma was best suited.

"I go over it in my head every day...why she did it. Why she chose..." I blinked back a set of tears, "To cheat."

Gemma leaned against the table,

"And?"

I stepped away, folding my arms as I looked at my sister,

"And I keep coming back to the same thing...it makes no sense."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we were having some issues...but nothing was severe. It was normal things all couples go through."

"So what are you saying?" Gemma asked, "You...think she lied?"

I blinked a few times as I processed Gemma's words. It sounded weird to hear someone say the things that had been rolling around in my head the last three weeks out loud. But it sounded...right.

I nodded,

"Yeah." I finally admitted.

Gemma shot me a look of shock,

"Harry..." She began, "I mean...I know you loved-"

"Love." I interrupted.

Gemma nodded,

"Love her...but you don't think that's just...your hope talking?"

I raised my eyebrows,

"You think I hope for this? You think this makes it any better?" Gemma didn't answer. I looked down, "The only way it makes it any better is to know that she didn't betray me with another guy. She still lied. She still decided to end things between us with a lie." I sighed in frustration, which was growing with each passing second, "Together for 5 years and she still couldn't talk to me. She still treated me like I wasn't a part of the relationship too." I tossed a piece of wood I'd been gripping across the room, "She always thought she knew better for us. Always wanted to call the shots. And I guess maybe I let her."