He cast a glance down at my coat. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going home, Brady. That’s where I’m going. Charlie and Mandy are gone. There’s no reason to stay.”
“Wait a minute, and I’ll drive you. We’ll take my car.”
“I’m never going anywhere with you in your car again,” I shot back.
“What do you mean?”
“You run too hot and cold for me. You don’t want anything serious with me. I was a fool ever to think we could be a real couple. You want to come and go as you please. You want to tell me what I want to hear and then turn your back on me. I understand that now, so don’t pretend it’s anything other than what it is.”
He gasped. “What are you talking about? When did I ever turn my back on you?”
“Just now,” I shot back. “You avoided me when you were talking to Charlie, and you gave me the cold shoulder when I came up to you at the buffet. You made some stupid comment about the antipasto and went off to give Helena the eye. Don’t deny it. I’m not putting up with your crap anymore. You broke my heart once, Brady Townsend, and I won’t let you do it again.”
“I can explain everything if you just give me a chance. Charlie….”
“I don’t want you to explain anything,” I interrupted, “and don’t start talking about Charlie. You gave me your big sob story about your grandmother dying to explain why you did it before. I don’t think you can come out with anything as grandiose as that this time, can you?”
His face hardened. “At least let me explain to you why I did it. If you still want to cut me off after that, I won’t try to stop you.”
“You won’t try to stop me this time, either,” I snarled. “What are you going to do? Are you going to tie me up so I can’t leave?”
“Of course not, Victoria,” he snapped. “I don’t know why you’re….”
“I’ve had it with mooning around waiting for you to decide you’re ready to have anything to do with me. You kicked me in the teeth one too many times. I’m done with you.”
19
Brady
I stabbed my finger at my phone for the fiftieth time today. I couldn’t get through to Victoria no matter what I did. She wouldn’t answer her phone. Every time I called, it switched straight to her answering message.
What was she doing? Why did she get so mad at the wedding? She never let me explain about Charlie. She just walked out on what could be the greatest relationship in both our lives.
I paced around my office. I was useless ever since I met her. I had to find a way to make it up to her. I had to explain and show her I really do care. I had to do it, if for no other reason than to get on with my normal life. Two weeks without her, and I started to go crazy.
The longer this situation went on, the more I had to admit the terrible truth. I couldn’t live without this woman. I didn’t want to before. Now I understood I couldn’t. I needed her. I needed her and this baby in my life. They were the only thing keeping me going anymore, and now she wouldn’t even talk to me.
I gazed out the windows at the far skyline. Where could she be? Where was she hiding from me? What horrible thoughts did she think about me?
Every time I got frustrated, that awful moment would flash before my eyes. I saw the look on her face when I asked her if she tried the antipasto. I knew then what I was doing to her. It killed me to do it, but I had to. I had to keep up appearances until Charlie left.
If only she let me explain. If only she understood about Charlie threatening me, I could make it all right again.
I had to explain it. Even if she decided to cut me off, I had to find a way to let her know I didn’t turn my back on her. That’s all there was to it. She had to understand it wasn’t her.
I got the ring out of my office safe. I cracked open the box and studied the stone. Was it good enough? Was it big enough? Would anything ever been enough to show her how I felt about her?
I stuffed the box into my pocket and tried to get back to work. Half a dozen contractors rang my phone off the hook, but I couldn’t concentrate. I almost delegated the whole construction project to my team manager, but that wouldn’t work, either.
I got the ring out again. Was I really going to give it to her, or was I going to stand here staring at it for the next twenty years of my life? I couldn’t do that. I shoved the ring in my pocket and stormed out of the office.
I cast back and forth on the sidewalk outside. All roads led to her. I had to see her again. I had to find a way to make her listen to me, just once. Even if she turned me down, I had t
o try.
I didn’t take the car. I had to do this on my own legs. I barreled down the street to a florist shop I knew. I bought two dozen long-stemmed roses. If that and the ring didn’t convince her, I didn’t know what would.