'I still love her you know' Peter said, sinking in to Carla's sofa as she leaned against her kitchen counter.
'I know you do' she responded quickly.
'My feelings for her haven't changed.. it's just I can't live ignoring these feelings for you' Peter said.
'But you can live ignoring you're feelings for Leanne?' she questioned.
'I think I can' he sighed looking up at her for a moment before breaking their eye contact.
Carla smiled silently to herself, she felt guilty, but her love for Peter overruled those feelings.
'But Carla.. I've decided, for now, me and you, well, we need to.. ease off a bit' he said as she frowned.
'What do you mean?' she asked, suddenly confused.
'I need to sort out things, think, and I don't think you and I flashing our relationship in public will help' he said as he saw her lips tremble in disappointment.
'We'll still see each other, but just.. quietly eh, for now I don't want anyone knowing, least of Leanne' he explained.
'For how long?' She whispers.
'As long as it takes for me to feel it's the right thing to do Carla, you know this isn't easy for me, I've just ended what some could say were the best three years of my life, I've crushed Leanne's heart, I've turned Simon's world upside down, I love you, I really do and I'm going to show you that, but you need to give me the time to come to terms with that I've done and try and pick up some of the pieces that are left' he said.
'Oh Peter, I know, I'm sorry.. it's just.. I'm in shock you know.. I thought I'd lost ya and then suddenly you were there again..' she said.
'I'm sorry I hurt you Carla, you know, I didn't want to, we.. we came together because you were hurting and then I just hurt you more' Peter said.
'No, no no, Peter you didn't hurt me, well, you did when I thought you'd gone, but you brought me back up from a place I wasn't sure how to get out of and.. since Liam.. I've never felt this way since.. never had that instant connection with someone where you just know they are the person you're meant to be with.. I should be thank you over and over' she said.
He smiled slightly, he may have been a mess in his head, but she was the reason he'd been unable to recite his vows and say 'I do', and she was the woman he intended to love and honour for the foreseeable future.
'Listen, I better go Carla, I need to go and speak to Dad and Simon.. and Leanne, if she'll let me' Peter said.
'Where are you going to stay tonight?' she asked him.
'Not sure, I mean, I don't want to kick Leanne out, and I doubt Simon will want to be with me tonight.. so I might kip at Dads' he said.
'You can stay here..' she suggested.
He looked up at her.
'Not tonight eh Car, I don't mean that.. in a bad way, but I need to think, I've hurt to many people tonight, it'd feel wrong' he said as she looked despondently at him.
'But I can hold you.. and I can tell you it's going to be okay' she said as he stood up and walked up to her, cupping her chin in his hand.
'I know, and part of me would like nothing more than to hold you back and sleep with you by my side, but I need to be alone, just for now okay' he said, moving his forehead until it rested against hers, their noses just touching.
'You be good now, and just, bear with me' he said before kissing her softly and making his way out of the flat.