Chase had no idea how much time had passed when Avery finally broke the silence.
"I have never shared this particular view—overlooking stella botrus—with anyone before," she said softly.
"You haven't?" he asked, somewhat surprised. "What about Nathan?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she shifted her position next to him, as if trying to get comfortable.
Wondering why she wasn't answering, he looked sideways at her, but she didn't look back at him, instead she continued to stare through the dome.
"What's wrong?" Chase asked.
She didn't answer.
"Avery, what's the matter?"
She turned her head sideways, brushing her hair away so that she could see him, and said, "I'm sorry. It's hard to tell you. I—I didn't think that it would be this difficult."
Chase propped himself up on an elbow and looked at her in concern. "Tell me what?"
She stayed where she was, looking up at him from the floor with her hair fanned out under her head. The iridescent color spray emanating from the nebula continued to shine through the dome, illuminating her in a soft glow.
"I am ending my engagement to Nathan."
It took Chase several seconds to realize what she had just said. He blinked, thinking that he misheard her.
"What?" he asked in shock.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you all day," she said. "My news. The next time I see Nathan I am going to tell him."
"Tell him?" he repeated. "You haven't told him yet?"
She pouted and looked away, saying, "I tried to tell him before the meeting today, then after the meeting, and then again before we boarded the carina, but every time we were alone somebody came along and interrupted us. And when we did have alone time, he interrupted me himself."
Chase began to panic. "Are you sure that—"
"Yes, I am sure."
"But—"
"Chase, please" she cut him off, this time pushing herself to a sitting position opposite him. "Be my friend for a moment. What would you have me do? You know Nathan, and you know me."
He exhaled deeply and looked away. Ever since he met Nathan he hadn't believed that he was the right man for her. He didn't seem to appreciate Avery, often taking her for granted or putting her second to something else. But Chase also suspected that she may be doing this because of some confused feelings for him. Regardless, breaking off the engagement was the difficult choice, not the easy one. He admired the wisdom it took to acknowledge that it wasn't going to work, as well as the strength it took to make that decision in the face of so many people. Pretending to go along with it while living in denial would only lead to an even worse situation.
Avery nodded at his silence. "I am not in love with Nathan, though I do love him. And because I love him I owe him the truth."
"When are you going to tell him?" Chase asked.
"Yesterday," she said dryly, easing herself back onto the floor and facing the dome.
Chase grunted a laugh. He believed her. It was just like Nathan to not let her get a word in edgewise. And now that Chase thought about it, on the way to the Agency Avery did tell him that there was something he needed to know about Nathan.
