He gestured to the space next to him on the couch. “We need to talk.”
She chose the chair instead and waited for him to speak.
Damian expelled a deep sigh. “Karen, I don’t want to lose what we have. I realize you’ve been hurt before, but I’m not like him. I’m in this for the long haul and, like I said, would never cheat on you. Didn’t you hear anything I said last weekend? You’re the only woman I want. I love you. I gave you everything—my love and my trust—all of me, and I hope you feel the same. We can work through this. Trust me.”
Yes, she felt it. “I can’t give you what you want. We’ll be on opposite sides of the country, and I can’t expect you to...” Her heart squeezed and she trailed off, not able to finish the statement. “Maybe if we still feel the same way in a few months—”
His eyes pleaded with her. “Baby, you don’t mean that.”
She wanted to give in, but her heart was at stake, and she couldn’t take the chance. Karen stood and wrapped her arms around her middle. Tears misted her eyes. “I can’t,” she whispered. “Please don’t make this any harder.”
“So that’s it? Didn’t you tell me you loved me?” Anger clouded his expression. “I’m not him,” he gritted out. “Don’t punish me for something he did. Don’t punish us.”
Karen heard the words but couldn’t talk around the lump in her throat. She averted her eyes.
He slowly got to his feet, came to stand in front of her and tilted her chin. “My plane leaves tomorrow around one.” Damian placed a solemn kiss on her brow. “I know we had something special, and I think it’s still there, but I can’t force you to change your mind.” He gave her a look of patented regret, spun on his heel and walked out of her house, out of her life.
The click of the front door closing seemed to magnify in the space, symbolizing finality. Karen stood rooted to the spot, silent tears coursing down her cheeks, as she tried to convince herself that she had done the right thing.
Chapter 18
Damian slid behind the wheel of the car, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Knowing she didn’t trust him shattered his heart into a million pieces. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the small Tiffany box and opened the lid. The brilliant stones caught fire in the sun and glittered all around him. Every day since purchasing the ring, he had imagined sliding it onto Karen’s finger and, later, her walking to meet him at the altar, where they’d pledge their love to each other for all time.
He snapped the lid shut and shoved the box back in his pocket. He started the engine and gripped the steering wheel. Some things weren’t meant to be, and it was time he accepted that fact.
He drove back to the hotel for what would be his last night in California. He paced the confines of his room and wondered for the hundredth time how he and Karen had gotten to this point. A week ago, his world shone as bright as those diamonds; now it was as dark as the approaching night.
His cell buzzed. Damian glanced over to the table where he had left it, thinking maybe Karen had changed her mind, but knowing in his heart she hadn’t. Walking across the floor, he picked it up and read a text from Kyle asking if he was ready to head downstairs for dinner. Truthfully, he had no appetite, but sent a message back in the affirmative.
Minutes later, Damian opened the door to Kyle. “Hey.”
“How did it go with Karen?”
“It didn’t.”
Kyle blew out a long breath. “I don’t know what to say. I thought for sure you two would be able to straighten out your differences. I’m sorry, man.”
No sorrier than Damian was. They didn’t exchange another word until they were settled in a booth at the back of the restaurant. Both ordered beers.
While perusing the menu, Kyle asked, “What happened?”
He glanced up from the menu. “In a nutshell, she doesn’t trust me.”
“Why? You haven’t had any problems with the distance so far.”
“I guess she never gave it much thought until now. All she sees is history repeating itself. Her ex cheated on her. Actually had the woman over to his mother’s house at the same time he was dating Karen. It didn’t help that I stood her up on the cruise and was still coming to terms with falling in love again. Now that she’s committed to this position, she believes I’ll get tired of the back-and-forth and start seeing someone else during the times we’re apart.”