Any hope he had for their conversation dwindled as he registered the false smile. Will knew her smile - the one where her eyes gleamed - well enough to know the plastered grin on her face was a defense mechanism. The first stone wall of a nearly impenetrable fortress. To school her facial expressions that readily was an impressive feat, he wouldn't deny that, but he had never expected to have to scale those walls again. At least not with her.
Five years was too long to still be in her good graces, he supposed.
"I'm relieved to hear it." If he was smart, he would allow her the ability to walk away. William would understand in no uncertain terms that he was not to approach her again. It was him, after all, who refused to change for her. Too distracted, too caught up in the glory of the game, to ever realize the real prize was the beauty standing before him. Instead, Will would eventually have to stand idly by as he attended her own wedding. He would have to shake hands with her husband and wish them well.
Fuck. He had ruined them.
"Would you care for a dance?" Came instead. So much for allowing her an easy exit from his life.
Five years was too long to still be in her good graces, he supposed.
"I'm relieved to hear it." If he was smart, he would allow her the ability to walk away. William would understand in no uncertain terms that he was not to approach her again. It was him, after all, who refused to change for her. Too distracted, too caught up in the glory of the game, to ever realize the real prize was the beauty standing before him. Instead, Will would eventually have to stand idly by as he attended her own wedding. He would have to shake hands with her husband and wish them well.
Fuck. He had ruined them.
"Would you care for a dance?" Came instead. So much for allowing her an easy exit from his life.