The hand in my pocket sweats around the small black velt box it holds.

The door to the house opens and instead of Amelia in the red dress I asked her to wear, she stands there a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

"Well, now I feel over dressed." I grin at her but she shows no emotion.

Something is wrong, very wrong. Her crystal blue eyes hold no spark whatsoever.

"Hey," I reach to cup her face but she pulls back. "What's wrong?" Coldness surrounds me.

"We need to talk." She whispers hoarsely and my mind spins. This can't mean anything good. "I can't do this anymore." She whispers just loud enough for me to hear- and I wish I didn't.

"Can't do what?" Surprisingly, I'm able to keep my voice from trembling.

"Us. This facade I've been keeping up, I can't do it anymore."

My stomach drops at the word facade.

"Facade?" She couldn't have been faking the whole time. "What are you trying to say?"

Her eyes close as she inhales deeply. "You have to know I didn't mean to take it this far."

"Amelia." I don't know what else to say as my heart races and my stomach feels stuck in my throat.

"I knew." She says and I frown in confusion. She knew? Knew what? "About the hospital payments."

"What?" My voice sounds weak to my own ears.

"After my date with Kai..." The mention of Kai has my jaw clenching. "I came home and you were drunk... you were mumbling about everything you've done for me and you just wish I'd give you a chance and..."

"And what Amelia?" I grit out, panic, rage, and hurt filling me all at once. I don't know what to say. Everything makes sense now. Her suddenly developed feelings after that night.

"I thought if things didn't change soon, you'd stop payments."

I open my mouth and she quickly stops me.

"I swear Cameron, it wasn't supposed to go this far. But..." Her next sentence shatters me from the inside out. "I could never truly love you."

Instead of responding, I walk toward the door. Fury takes over my shock and I stop turning back toward the kitchen.

Amelia's head rests in her hands, her elbows propped on the counter.

She straightens when I come into the kitchen. I pull the ring case out of my pocket and quickly chuck it so it hits the front of the stove. She jumps and my first instinct is to apologize but I stop myself.

"You better sell that for every penny it's worth because your dad still has quite a few physical therapy sessions left." I ignore her crushed look. "And I want you out before the kids get back."

"Okay." She whispers, and I grit my teeth.

"Any shit that's still here when I get back on Monday, I'm throwing out." I tell her before storming out.

My hands shake with fury as I pull out my cell phone.

"What can I do for you Mr. James?" Andy Michelson, my lawyer, answers the phone.

"Cancel- can- cancel- Fuck!" I scream, chucking my phone. "Fuck!" I scream again, my fist colliding with the side of the brick house.

My fist now burns along with my chest. I'm a fucking idiot. I should have know. The funny thing is I'm more upset about her ending this. She could have... No, I throw that thought from my mind. This lie needed to end now.

It's been a long time since I've had the urge to drink myself into oblivion and the need hits me harder that it ever has before.

Fulfilling my part of the deal I suggested, I shoot Isaiah a quick text and head for the office.

Let's see how long it takes for me to drink Amelia away.

**

A gasp brings me from my alcohol induced slumber.

There's a small possibility that I've reached a new level of drunkenness

"Mom?"

"Oh," She brings her hand to her mouth in shock. "My sweet boy."

My eyes quickly dart to the couch where I last remember seeing Isaiah. The rapid movement of my eyes causes the drums beating against my temple to bang harder and I groan.

The couch is empty. Where did that fucker run off to?

"Cameron..." My mother draws my attention. "What is wrong? Why all the drinking?" My foggy brain can't keep up with her questions. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" She kicks the almost empty bottle of Bacardi.

Yes. "No." I don't think the shame in my voice isn't as clear as she would have preferred it.

She gives me her stern motherly glare, making my drunk ass feel like a small child.

"Mom," I chuckle lightly, cringing when my brain feels as if it's being shook in a jar. "I just had a few-"

"Cameron Charles!" She shouts, exasperatedly. "Do not treat me like a fool."

"I tried to promise to Amelia." I tell her, no use hiding it. My mother, sooner or later, knows everything.

"Oh?" I'm too hung over to notice her less than shocked look. "But this doesn't seem like celebratory drinking." She quirks her perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"Well, she didn't say yes. Actually she didn't even let me ask. She... She said she couldn't love me." Amelia's sentence rings through my head. 'I could never truly love you.'

I quickly grow frustrated. How much more do I have to drink to erase her from my memory?

'You tried this before.' My mind mocks me. 'It's impossible to erase her.'

"Well..." She pauses, seeming to considering her words and I know I'm not going to appreciate them. "I guess she doesn't deserve you."

"Mom," I breath, practically begging. "please just leave."

"Cameron, honey, you have to remember she's just a girl."

"Mom!" I roar, and she has the decency to look shocked. "Please. Leave." I grit just as my office door busts open.

"Cameron!" Isaiah huffs, then catches my mothers eye. "Why are you here?"

"I'm making sure my son doesn't drink himself to death."

"Well, if he did it would be your fault." Isaiah snaps and my mother straightens her back.

"I have no idea what you mean." My mother responds at the same time I ask Isaiah what he means.

"It's her fault that things with Amelia ended the way they did."

I laugh, but my mothers face pales.

"You tell him or I will." Isaiah glares at my mother and I feel left out of the loop. What the hell?

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"Okay." Isaiah shrugs then turns to me. "Your mother showed up at the house and fed Amelia a whole bunch of shit, and that's why Amelia said what she did."

"What?" My utterly shocked self turns to my mother. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"Sweetheart, she's not right for you."

My jaw drops, this...

"She-"

"She what?!" I scream. "She makes me happy? She makes me want to be better? What the hell did you say to her?!"

"One, don't you dare raise your voice to me. I am still your mother. Two, I only told her the truth. She's not good enough for you."

"What did you say?!"

"I told her about the hospital payments. And about how you deserve a woman who will fit into this world your father and I have raised you in. She-"

"Where is she at now?" I ask Isaiah, before I say something I regret to my mother.

"My house."

"Take me." I grab my wrinkled suit jacket.

"Cameron, she is not right for you."

"But you look like shit.."

"Don't care." I make sure to look at Isaiah and not my mother.

I follow him out without a single look back.

Isaiah drives quickly and my mind races. My only prayer at the moment is that Amelia only said what she did because of the things my mother said.

"You need to calm down." Isaiah breaks through my thoughts and he points at my white, shaking fists.

When we pull into his driveway I'm out of the truck before he stops the car.

I walk into the house, my eyes immediately connecting with Meghan's. "Guest room." Meghan answers before I can even verbalize my question.

Almost tripping, I rush up the stairs and barge into the guest room.

Amelia is standing at the window. She turns and I see how white she is, the area around her eyes is red and swollen.

I feel like shit admitting it, but in a sick, twisted way it's comforting to see her as torn up as me.

"She's right." She rasps, biting her lip.

"Don't you dare." I growl, noticing the ring sitting in the dresser.

"She is though!" Amelia's eyes well with tears. "You need someone who was brought up in your world. I would not make a good wife for you. I-"

"Do you love me?"

"Cam-"

"Yes or no Amelia?"

"Yes! Of course I do. But-"

"Then marry me."

She frantically shakes her head. I grab the ring and take a few steps forward before kneeling.

"I am so in love with you." I confess what she already knows. "I have loved you for so long." A tear steadily rolls down her cheek. "I don't know what she said but I need you to forget it. Just tell me what you want."

"I can't!" She cries.

"Yes, you can! What do you want?!"

"You!" She yells, falling to her knees so she's at my lever. "I want you." She whispers this time.

"That's good." I can't help the relieves chuckle that escapes me as I grab her cold hand. Quickly, I slide the ring on before she can change her mind.

"You're beautiful." I grin, watching her expression as she stares at the ring before glancing at me.

"I love you." She whispers before grabbing my face and pressing her lips to mine. "I will always love you."