Your Forever Love (The Bennett Family 3)
Page 61
“I know.”
He cups my cheeks between his hands and leans his forehead against mine. “Let me make you happy while I’m here.”
“You are making me happy,” I whisper.
“Then trust me. Talk to me.” His voice is as calm as it is controlled, and I know on the spot that he’s the kind of man who never yells. Good, because I’ve had enough fights that involved yelling with Terence to last me a lifetime. “Don’t close yourself off to me.”
“Can I ask you something first?”
“Sure.”
“What happened to your wife?”
He stills. “Car accident. She was speeding. I’d returned a day earlier from a business trip, and she was eager to meet me at home. Julie was in the car too.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmur.
“It was a long time ago.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
Eric sizes me up and down, his expression unreadable. “I keep thinking I should have been able to protect them—save them, somehow.”
“Eric, it was an accident.”
He shakes his head. “I know. I… My biggest fear is that something bad will happen to Julie.” Silence stretches for a few seconds, and then he smiles again. “Your turn.”
“Talking about my ex puts me in a bad mood. I’d rather show you my good sides,” I say on a playful note, but Eric’s gaze is unwavering.
“First of all, there are no bad sides to you, but you’ve been through good times, bad ones, and ugly ones. All that made you who you are today. I want to know you. I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly, Pippa.”
I sigh. “You’re so good with words, Eric. Why do you have to be so good with words? It makes fighting you hard.”
“Oh, you want to fight me?” He’s smiling at me now.
I shake my head, leaning with my lower back against the counter. “No. I don’t like fighting. I’m not good at it, if I’m honest. We always talked out our problems in my family. I guess we had to. With so many people, keeping things from each other and bottling tension would have escalated quickly.”
To my astonishment, Eric’s eyes are doubtful. “I have one question. Were you a talker or a listener?”
“Listener and advice-giver.”
“Thought so.”
“You’re good at reading people. Even better than I am.”
“I have my talents,” he answers, a determined look on his face. “But I’m all in. Don’t push me out. I won’t let you.”
“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, I start explaining everything. “A while ago, my lawyer informed me that Terence is appealing the court decision in our divorce. He’s trying to get some money.”
“And?”
“And my lawyer’s handling it.”
“Have you told your family?”
“Yes, I have, and I asked them to stay out of it, which to my surprise they accepted. I am going to ask you the same thing.”
“Okay, but can I give you some advice at least?” Eric asks.