"Oh, Val. I'm so glad you're here. This boy hasn't shut up about you for two days." She moved back and touched my cheek. "You look wonderful, except for those dark circles under your eyes. Are you not sleeping?"
"Nope. Courtesy of being dumped by a frog who I thought was my prince." I smiled as she laughed.
We both turned and looked at Tate, and my heart broke in my chest. The look on his face was a mixture of pain and disappointment. He didn't say anything, and I got tired of standing there hoping that he would welcome me into his arms and explain everything.
"You want some cookies? I just got through making them for your homecoming." I looped my arm into hers and walked into the kitchen.
She sat down and started talking about what happened with Daniel and the hospital as I worked to get her a small plate of cookies and a glass of milk. I was too comfortable being in their house, but I guess some part of me just felt like I'd finally found a place where I fit in.
"Val." Tate stood at the door. "Can we talk?"
"Yeah, sure." I patted his mom on the arm as I followed him out the front door and into the yard.
"You didn't have to do all of this." He turned to face me, and I could see that he hadn't been sleeping, either.
"Oh, I know I didn't. Kindness is free, remember? Or did you forget? Because the man that helped me out of a shitty situation not too many days ago just threw me headfirst into one after making love to me all fucking night." Anger burned deep inside of me as tears filled my eyes. I pushed at his chest hard, as my voice lifted. "I finally found someone that I felt good around, right with, and he doesn't want me any
more. I gave him access to my time, my body...my fucking heart."
"Valentine." He grabbed my hands, but I yanked them away.
"No. You lied to me." I was full on crying at this point. Ugly crying. "You left that shitty note that said you would call, but guess what? You didn't."
"My mother was in the hospital. What was I-"
I pushed my finger into his chest and got in his face. "No, you don't get to use that as an excuse. Tell me what really happened. Tell me why you decided to spend the night in my arms and make me believe that there was something better around the corner for me than the life I have. Tell me why you would walk away from us because of some pathetic old man's threats."
He moved back as shock registered on his handsome face. "You knew?"
"Not from you. That's for damn sure." I pulled my keys out of my pocket. "I wanted us so badly, but it wasn't meant to be. Coming over here that first night, meeting your mom, and standing in your tiny living room with you beside me just felt right. I'm supposed to be here. I belong here."
"Baby." He reached for me, but I swatted him away.
"No. You discarded me over some idle threat."
"They weren't idle, Val. Your father knew all about my shit. He threatened to take my mother's job and our house. He said that he would bail Daniel out of jail, and the fucker did it." He moved toward me, but I'd already started to walk to my car.
"He's a mining guy, Tate. He doesn't have the power to do any of those things." I stopped and glanced over my shoulder. "Why didn't you just tell me? I could have helped figure it out. I wasn't enough for you to fight for? You just throw in the towel and that's it, huh?"
"That's not it. You know I'm completely into you." He reached out again, but I turned and opened the door to my car.
"I wasn't sure what I would find when I got out here today; fuck, I'm not even sure what I was looking for, but somehow, I think the truth. You were right. The rich people of the world are selfish assholes who just want what they want and don't care who gets hurt in the process." I shrugged and got in my car. "Too bad all I wanted was you."
Chapter 23
Tate
Decision time. What're you gonna do?
"Val." I held onto the door tightly as she tried to close it. I wasn't at all sure of what the right decision was, but I wasn't going watch her drive away from me. I knew that much for sure.
"No. You don't get to sweet talk me into staying here with you. You're the most wishy-washy man I've ever met. You want me one minute and ignore me the next. I'm done." She yanked on the door, and dammit if I didn't crack a smile. She was impossibly cute in her ranting.
I pulled the door back open and reached in, tugging her out and catching her when she half fell into my arms. "Stop it. I didn't know what your father was capable of. Look at it from my perspective for a minute."
After muscling her to the back of the car, I pressed her against it and gripped her wrists tightly by her side as I pressed my cheek to hers and rested my mouth just beside her ear.
"I was told to back off because I wasn't good enough, and it's true," I whispered softly as her tension started to melt a little. "I took you to the lake and then to bed, and I show up the next morning to find the house in shambles and my mother in the hospital. What was I to think?"