“I lost my job once thanks to her antics. I’ve spent years since making sure that won’t happen again.”
This time he brushed her tears away with his thumb. “You can’t keep running from who you are. You can’t suppress your true self forever and be happy. You aren’t. You won’t be.”
She stiffened her shoulders. “Who are you to say I’m not happy?”
“I’m the man who made love to you in front of that window. I’ve seen you making snow angels for the first time. I saw you dancing and singing in the corner with Hannah when you thought no one was looking. I’ve seen the real you and I’m here to tell you that if you keep running away from yourself, you’ll spend the rest of your life out of the spotlight like you think you want—and you’ll be perfectly miserable.” He lowered his hand from her face.
He looked into her eyes, and although he’d obviously hit a nerve, he hadn’t changed her mind. His heart sank at the thought of walking out of here as alone as he was when he’d walked in.
“I can’t do this anymore. I’ll talk to Micki and she’ll take care of you from now on.”
“Did you hear anything I said? Or did you tune me out completely?”
“I heard you. I just don’t think you’re right about what I need to be happy.” She folded her arms across her chest.
He was through. If Amy couldn’t see she was running away, there was nothing more he could do to convince her. He had a season to prepare for and he was leaving for Florida to join the team soon. “I guess you’re right. You know what you need and what you want. It sure as hell doesn’t seem to be me.”
She didn’t argue.
“It’s ironic, though. You helped me get my shit together with my family but you can’t do the same for yourself.” And until she was willing to try, he had nothing left to say.
Heart heavy, he turned to go.
And she didn’t stop him as he walked through the door and out of her life.
AMY LEFT WORK EARLY. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with people today. She couldn’t look them in the eye with those photographs circulating, and to add insult to injury, she’d lost the man she loved. In fact, she’d sent him out the door without so much as a goodbye because she wasn’t convinced she could handle anything anymore. What a mess.
She was mentally spent, and the last thing she expected to find was her mother and her aunt cooking up a storm in her kitchen. The scene was reminiscent of her childhood. Big meals, family dinners. A warm, fuzzy feeling surrounded her as she realized that maybe this was exactly what she needed. Retreating to the comfort of home and family without the outside world intruding. It had worked for her when she lived in the retirement community. It could work for her now, helping her forget about what it had cost to let Roper go.
“Hi,” Amy said, announcing her presence.
“Oh, you’re home,” her mother said. She wiped her hands on a towel and strode across the room to give Amy a hug. “Your aunt and I were just making dinner. We thought you could use a home-cooked meal and some cheering up. Between those awful photos and you being silly enough to break up with Roper, we decided you needed your family around you.”
“How do you know about my breakup with Roper?” Considering it had just officially happened earlier today.
“He called and said you might need us and suggested we come here. Of course, we pushed for an answer as to why, and when we found out, we just had to wonder what you were thinking!” her mother explained.
“I’m glad you’re here.” But she wasn’t going to argue with them about the wisdom of the choices she made in her personal life. “A home-cooked meal sounds good. Just let me change into something comfortable and I’ll be right back.”
“Um…How comfortable?” her aunt asked.
Amy narrowed her gaze. “Why?”
“We’re having dinner company,” her mother said.
“Who?” Amy asked warily. If they’d invited Roper over, she was going to throttle them for interfering.
“While we were cooking for you, your phone rang and we answered. It was a gentleman who said he wanted to know your side of the story regarding those pictures on the Internet,” her mother said.
“And so you just had to invite him over?” Amy asked, appalled, but not all that surprised.
“Well, of course!” Her aunt waved a spoon in emphasis. “You know how polite we are. Besides, the gentleman explained that you’d need someone on your side and he was the best person for the job.”
Amy rubbed her burning eyes. “Does this gentleman have a name?”
“Frank Buckley from eSports,” her mother said. “Amy, be a dear and get the wine that’s been chilling in the refrigerator?”
Amy glanced at the ceiling and counted to ten and back again but there was no getting away from the truth. Roper had been right. She’d helped him get his life together, but she hadn’t been able to do the same for herself. And as a result, she was here with her mother and her aunt, about to discuss pornographic pictures of herself with the reporter who hated Roper the most.