A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a story, so any comments are encouraged and always welcomed. I understand how difficult it can be to follow a story if a long period of time lapses between chapters, so I will update as often as I can.
Chapter 1
Extremely angry after his confrontation Ty and driving quickly back to Hillhurst, Prince Ahmed opens his cell phone and speed dials. "Abdul...have my head of security waiting for me in my office with Miss Amy Fleming's file when I get there. I'm on my way now."
Storming into his office Ahmed is met by Akeem, his head of security. Ahmed asks impatiently, "Akeem, you have her file?" Akeem answers, "Yes, Prince, it on your desk." Ahmed takes a seat at his desk and asks, "Is it up to date with all the information from the tour?" Akeem answers, "Yes, it has everything you requested we put in it." Ahmed picks up the file from his desk and opens it, "Have a seat Akeem. I have something I want you to do..."
...
Lou's worried about Amy. No one has spoken to her since Ty left the previous day and she hasn't yet emerged from her room. She finds Jack reading the newspaper in the kitchen and says, "Grandpa, I'm worried about Amy. Don't you think it's time someone tried to speak to her? I mean, she should try to talk this out with someone don't you think." Jack lowers the paper and looking back at Lou over the top of his reading glasses he says, "I think the person she needs to speak with right now is Ty. They need to work this out between them. Besides, Ty called a little while ago. He said Caleb had found a trick horse for Georgie and he was going to bring it by a little later this morning." Lou seems surprised that Jack didn't offer anything more about his conversation with Ty, so she asks, "Did Ty say anything else? You know...about what happened yesterday?" "No, he didn't, but he did ask if I expected Amy to be around and I told him that I thought she would be. So I suppose he wants to talk with her." Lou sees this as a reason to speak to Amy, if for no other reason than just to let her know that Ty will be coming by later.
...
"Are you sure that's all he said?", Amy asks of her older sister. Lou responds, "That's all Grandpa said." Amy asks of Lou, "I don't understand why he hasn't answered any of my calls or texts. I've been trying to get a hold of him ever since..." Lou interrupts, "Amy, he's upset and can you blame him? I mean...it was a shock to him and I'm sure he just needed some time to process it." Amy has a look of concern, "That's what I'm afraid of. You didn't hear the conversation we had just before he left. He was mad and accused me of not being straight with him and keeping secrets. Then he said he can't do this anymore. I asked him what he meant but he didn't answer. Bob called just then and he left right away for work." Lou understands Amy's concern, but tries to set her at ease by reminding her that Ty is coming by and apparently in doing so he wants to talk adding that he's now had a chance to calm down.
...
Amy's in the barn office nervously trying to make herself busy as she waits for Ty to arrive. When Ty walks in, Amy says as she immediately goes to him and gives him a hug, "Ty, I've been trying to get a hold of you. I'm so sorry about last night." As Amy hugs him, Ty stands motionless with only one hand resting lightly on her hip and says, "Yeah, I'm sorry too." Amy steps back and says, "There's something I think you should see, something that started this whole mess." Ty responds, "Some video? Georgie just told me. She thought you already told me about it." Meekly, Amy says, "I should have never kept it from you." Ty responds, "I don't wanna see it. I don't want to see anything, Amy." Amy's insistent. She feels that she now has to be honest about what happened so she says, "No. I want you to see it."
After showIng Ty the video, she says, "Right after that I pushed him away and I told him that we were just friends. I thought he got it. But Ahmed only hears what he wants to hear." Ty pauses for a moment before answering as he collects his thoughts, "Well, I guess I do too." Amy is surprised by his response and asks, "What does that mean?" Ty pauses again and then says, "Well, I guess I've been trying to convincing myself that we're good, but we're not." Amy pleads, "Ty, we... we are good." Ty takes a deep breath and says, "Amy, listen to me. I have to say this, okay? It's been weighing on me for a long time now and there won't be another opportunity to say it." Amy's confused and asks, "What do you mean? Ty responds, "You'll understand when I'm finished. Right now I just need you to listen."
Ty pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath, and then says, "Remember when you agreed to work with Charger? Amy responds, "Yes." Ty continues, "Well, I then asked you about us and you said one thing at a time. I thought after that futurity race we would then work on our relationship, but instead you were excited about being offered that job to go on tour in Europe with Ahmed and his team. I know I supported you in your decision. I had no other choice because I promised myself I would never hold you back. I was disappointed that you decided to accept his offer and once you left I regretted not asking you to stay, so we could work on us as a couple...I was disappointed that you thought it was more important than trying to repair our relationship.
Ty takes another breath and says, "This has been difficult for me, but I've had the time to give it a lot of thought. It's sad what happened to us. I think we both know that this has been brewing for a while, but neither of us wanted to recognize or admit it." Amy asks, "What are you talking about?"
Ty responds, "Please Amy, let me finish. I need to say this, okay? With everything that has happened, I now think it was a good thing that you went to Europe. I no longer regret not asking you to stay. You see...everything I suspected...my worst fears have proven to be true. You're not the girl I fell in love with...you're not and haven't been for some time. I saw this coming a long time ago, but didn't want to believe it. That video you showed me just confirmed it. Just as I feared, you were immersed in Ahmed's lifestyle over there and you got comfortable and accustom to it. It put our relationship and your love for me to the test."
Amy's worried about what she fears is coming next and tries to interrupt, but Ty continues, "I know it must have taken a lot of courage to show me that video, but it's just too late. I wish you had the faith in my love for you to have been honest with me sooner. I can't help believing, as I look back on everything that has happened, that you never had any intention of telling me about this Ahmed thing until you had no other choice. That's not love...it's selfishness and deceit.
Amy interrupts him, "There is no Ahmed thing! I didn't kiss him...he kissed me!" Ty exhales sharply and says, "That video is what it is. Say what you want, but it doesn't lie. I'm sorry, but I just I can't do this any more. I can't deal with your secrets and lies. It's been eating at me and enough is enough. I guess you think I'm incapable of connecting the dots, but I'm not. Everything is clear to me now."
Her heart pounding, Amy pleads, "I love you Ty..." Ty interrupts and continues, "Words mean something, saying "I love you" means something, being engaged means something...both hearts need to be in on it with honesty and trust. It's a level of commitment and loyalty two people make together. Marriage has so many challenges and along with those challenges I don't want to have to think that your love for me is being put to the test every time you're presented with a new opportunity. It's not fair...I can't take that. I need someone who's as committed in their love for me as I am in my love for them. I want someone who wants to be with me because they have enough faith in their feelings to know that they're actually I love with me."
Amy wants to interrupt fearing what's coming next, but before she can form the words Ty says, "Clearly we want separate things. As much as I wish we could find a way to get past this, I can't sit by knowing it's only a matter of time before you break my heart again. I can however do my best to accept the obvious...we can't go on...I can't go on like this, so I'm letting go. It's over. I need to close this chapter in my life and reclaim myself...reclaim what I want and need to be happy and you should do the same. I just wish we could have found it together, but it wasn't meant to be."
Ty turns away as Amy pleads, "If you love me then why can't you forgive me. Ty answers, "If you really loved me then what reason would there be for me to have to? I remember something you said to me once..."Sometimes you say things and do things and you can't go back from there"...remember? Well, you were right. You can't go back and neither can I...I can't. Amy countinues to plea, "No, Ty...No! Please...don't leave me!" Her words fall on deaf ears as Ty walks with purpose out of the barn. Amy follows, stopping at the barn door and watches as Ty drives away.
...
Amy's in shock as tears begin streaming down her face. She runs into the house nearly falling into the arms of Lou. Holding her sister and trying her best to comfort her, Lou asks, "What happened...what did Ty say?" Amy stutters the words, "It's over...he broke up with me." Lou walks Amy to her room and takes a seat next to her on the bed. She gently caresses her younger sister's hair as Amy cries into her shoulder. "Tell me Amy...what did he say?" Amy tries desperately to collect herself and then tells Lou, nearly word for word, everything Ty said. Lou's worst fear had come true and she can't help feeling partly responsible.
Leaving Amy alone for awhile, Lou seeks out Jack to let him know what happened. There aren't going to be anymore secrets and she's determined to do what she can to help fix what's broken.