The silence stretched, heavy and thick with unspoken words. Finally, Shawn spoke, his voice hoarse. "Evie," he began,"to be honest...a part of me hoped it wouldn't be true."
His words sent a jolt through me. "Hoped what wouldn't be true?" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.
"That you had feelings for someone else," he admitted, his gaze holding mine. "When you were hesitant to keep seeing me after our first date, I..." He trailed off, his jaw clenching for a moment before he continued. "I worried it was because you weren't sure about me, that you were wary of trusting someone new."
A flicker of surprise washed over me. "You thought that?" I asked.
Shawn gave a small, sad smile. "Maybe a part of me wanted to believe that," he confessed. "But deep down, I knew there could be another reason."