"I don't understand. You've-" Barbara's accusations were drowned out by a sudden burst of sobs. "You're not the same anymore. What happened?"

[i]The truth is, I've made a magically binding pact with a few people I've considered friends and when they bailed on me I got cursed and now I'm struggling to make the things you want to hear sound convincing.[i]

That was the bitter truth, but he couldn't tell her that for several reasons. So Gerrit just watched the confused and devastated woman with a stony face for a while. He knew that meeting her would be a bad idea, given the risks, but her attention and affection has become something he grew to enjoy. It wasn't the deep, reciprocated love he remembered from his life before, nor was it the intense and desperate desire he felt for Vivian - it was superficial and (if he was being honest with himself) a bit selfish. So he continued his chaste and gentleman-like dates with Barbara.. but more often than not his attempts to fake emotions that just weren't there failed and made him seem suspicious and sometimes even mean. So Barbara confronted him this evening, the first time he actually accompanied her into her apartment.

Finally, he spoke. "I'm sorry. I just don't feel like myself recently." It didn't even begin to tell the whole story, but it wasn't a lie per se.

It also wasn't particularly helpful or consoling. Barbara's sobs grew a bit more intense, she doubled up in her chair as if her stomach was aching. Then she gathered just enough composure to stop the heaving and crying for a few moments, built herself up and spat "Get out."

He waited a moment, then got up and left Barbara's apartment without another word or looking back. Chances are I would have made it worse.
Of course he didn't want her to suffer this much - he wasn't a bad person! But deep inside he was also thankful for taking this break-up so easily.

And who knew? Maybe he could try and contact her once the Wyrd was done punishing him.