Simply Sexy (Simply 5)

“What is it?” she asked.

“If I save your job, will you stay? I know you love it here.”

She didn’t answer.

“Corinne and I will take that as a yes,” he said. And then he tossed out his final words. The ones that would be the most difficult for him to live by. “If you do stay, I’ll be right beside you. Because my days of running are over.” With or without her, Colin knew the time had come to put down roots, accept his family and live again.

“No, you won’t. You’ll get bored or feel closed in by some difficult situation. You’ll take off like you always do.” But she didn’t meet his gaze, giving him the hope that she didn’t really believe her words.

He had a hunch that deep down she trusted him more than she was letting on. He met her gaze and smiled. “The only way to find out is to stick around yourself.”

“Just give me a good recommendation, Colin. Please.” Then she walked out the door.

He shook his head and leaned back against the cool wall. What a mess he’d created. Why had he thought he could get involved with Rina and easily walk away?

Because he always had before. Ever since he’d lost both his mother and father, he’d kept his distance from everyone and everything, hoping that he’d never again experience that cavernous feeling of loss. Faced with Rina’s withdrawal and threatened departure, he was experiencing it again. And he didn’t like it worth a damn. Because this was a loss he didn’t think he’d bounce back from. One no amount of running would help.

So he’d better start fighting for what he wanted.

CHAPTER TWELVE

FLOWERS ARRIVED at Rina’s home. A thick, red, luxurious and obviously expensive bouquet of roses. The card had only two words: Please stay.

Next, she checked her e-mail and discovered a card sent from the office server. Lovers’ quarrels are meant to be forgotten, it said.

And then there was the small box she’d found in her desk drawer. An empty velvet jewelry box. The best gifts are meant to be given in person. Forgive me.

The gifts were lovely, all sentimental, all intended to wrap around her heart. But the last one, the empty jewelry box that could only hold a ring, was almost her undoing. Until she reminded herself that none of the presents, the ring box included, could possibly be from Colin. The man had a direct style, and this anonymous note-sending wasn’t an approach he’d choose. She couldn’t help suspecting somebody else was trying to get her and Colin back together.

The phone rang, distracting her. She picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Hi, Rina? It’s Cat.”

“Cat!” Rina said, glad to hear from the other woman. She loved her outgoing personality and wanted to get to know her better. Then she remembered she wasn’t staying in town. A lump rose to her throat.

“I hope you survived the holiday?” Cat asked. “I know that after a party at my place, I want to crawl into bed and stay there for days. It’s amazing how I can cater at other people’s homes without any problems, but bring the festivities to my house, and I’m a wreck.”

Rina laughed. “I know what you mean. But it was so special having everyone share the holiday with me.”

“Even if you did look like you’d lost your best friend?”

Rina blinked. “Emma always said you were perceptive.”

“And nosy.” A tinkling laughter followed Cat’s pronouncement. “Is everything better with you and Colin?”

Rina twirled the phone cord around her finger and leaned back into her comfortable couch. “It’s set

tled,” she said. But was it? an inner voice asked.

“Forgive me for prying, but it didn’t seem that way to me. Colin came for dinner last night and he was miserable.”

Rina’s heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t want him unhappy, yet she couldn’t help the lift in her heart that came with knowing he hadn’t gotten over her quickly. Because she was nowhere near over him. “It’s not something I caused, Cat.”

“Well, I didn’t cause my problems with Logan before we got married, but it was up to me to decide I could live with who and what he was.” Cat cleared her throat. “Actually, I had to decide I could accept who and what I was,” she admitted. “But that was me. We’re talking about you.”

Rina sighed. “Somehow I’m sensing there’s not much difference.” Colin accepted her for who and what she was. Despite the lies, in her heart, Rina understood that.

She understood that there’d been no honest, graceful way for him to tap her on the shoulder and say, “Hey, Rina, you should know, the paper’s in deep financial trouble and the only way out is for me to cut the column you love so much.”