She wasn’t so sure about that. “Have you even considered the idea that you could come with me? I know it’s probably way too soon, but we could try.”
He stood, running a frustrated hand over his hair. “You would regret that, too. Look, this has been a real good time.”
“Don’t.” She stood and faced him. “Don’t you even go there, Guidry. I told you my feelings for you were real.”
“I should go.”
She’d thought he was staying the night, but it seemed like everything had changed for him the moment he’d found out there was a possibility she could leave. He wasn’t even willing to try? She’d thought he at least cared about her. “I don’t understand any of this. We were fine four hours ago.”
He moved in and suddenly his hands cupped her cheeks and he leaned down, brushing her forehead with his lips. “I think it’s best if I go now. I think . . . well, I should go.”
She stepped back, completely gutted. “Yes. You should go. I’ve got things to do. If I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon, I should pack.” Daisy was standing at her feet, looking up like she knew something had gone wrong. Oh, what would she do with Daisy?
“I’ll take Daisy and Sunny until you get back,” he said. “Can your landlady let me in tomorrow afternoon? I’ll pick them up and take them to my place.”
She watched as he started for the door.
How could this be happening? How could her heart be breaking like this? She hadn’t hurt this much when she’d made the decision to divorce. That had been an almost easy thing to decide.
This felt wrong.
“I love you, Zep.” It was the truth. It was simple and real and true.
He walked out the door. Had he even heard her?
And the tears finally came.* * ** * *
I love you, Zep.
He sat in the cab of his truck, the words he’d longed to hear echoing in his head over and over again.
He’d had to walk out or he would have stayed with her, given her the words back and held her. He wouldn’t have been able to leave her.
He would have become a millstone around her neck, dragging her down for mistakes he’d made in the past.
The look on her face . . . he might never stop seeing that look on her face.
A light shone in his rearview and he winced as he realized it was Remy and Lisa dropping off his mother. They’d stayed behind to help Seraphina and Harry clean everything up.
He should have driven around or gone straight up to his apartment over the garage. Not that it would have worked. The minute his mother saw his truck, she would have known something was wrong.
He shoved his pain down deep and did the only thing he could. He got out of the truck and waved his brother’s way.
Remy rolled down his window. “Hey, I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you were staying with Roxie.”
“She’s got a flight to New York tomorrow. She’s interviewing for a big job and I didn’t want to be in the way.” He managed to keep the words even, far lighter than he felt. “I’m going by tomorrow and picking up the puppy and the cat, and I’ll watch them for her while she’s gone.”
Would she be able to take them with her? Or would they be left behind like he would?
It wasn’t fair to think that way, but there was a tinge of bitterness that he forced back down. It wasn’t her fault. She’d done exactly what her father had worried about. She’d asked him to come with her or to sit down and go over all the reasons for her to stay.
She would have stayed if he’d asked her to. He’d seen it in her eyes. She’d been looking to him to give her that reason, to say he loved her and wanted to build something with her here. With their dog and their cat and their two not-great-paying jobs.
But she could have an amazing future in the city she loved. She simply couldn’t have it with him. What kind of a selfish ass would he be if he asked her to give it all up for him?
“I thought you were going to talk to her.” Remy looked disappointed.
“Leave your brother be for the night,” his mother admonished as she walked around Remy’s big shiny truck. She waved to Lisa. “Thanks for a lovely evening, you two. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you.”
His brother looked like he wanted to argue, but Lisa put a hand on his arm. “We love you, too, Momma. Zep, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
He waved as they drove away and promised he would find something to do tomorrow that didn’t involve explaining to his brother how he’d lost the only woman he was ever going to love. He plastered a smile on his face for his mother’s sake. “You have fun tonight? I saw you talking to Shawna. You seemed to be the only one she really opened up to.”