He shook his head, his clenched fists the only outward sign of how difficult this was for him. But inside he was dying. “I told you, I’ll always give you what you need. So if you need to go, go.”

Scott didn’t have a plan. He didn’t know what he’d do or how he’d get her back. Instead, he breathed in deeply, searching for a sense of calm he didn’t feel, only to inhale the musky scent of sex and Meg.

* * *

Meg drove herself home and Scott didn’t argue. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that she totally missed him telling her what he wanted her to do. It wasn’t that she’d always listen, more that his expectations told her he was thinking about her, her welfare, and that he cared. Like he cared enough to let her pack up her things and move out.

Idiot, a very large part of her brain told her. Who leaves a man who loves her with everything he has? Who walks away from the best thing that ever happened to her? Apparently, she realized, as she strode into the apartment she called home, the empty apartment that no longer felt like home, Meg wasn’t finished making stupid, wrong, bad-for-her decisions.

Because as she unpacked her clothes and toiletries, she couldn’t help but feel like she was in a strange place. A place she’d lived both with Mike and alone. And as she picked up the phone to order pizza, because she had no food in her pantry or refrigerator, she was forced to ask herself, was being alone taking a stand? Who was she proving a point to? Not herself. She was miserable. She had a lump in her throat, her chest hurt, and she missed Scott like crazy. What was she accomplishing?

She sat alone at her kitchen table, a box of uneaten pizza in front of her, and she hated herself for her decision.

Her phone rang, and she dove for it on the first ring like a crazy person, but it wasn’t Scott, it was Lydia Ashton.

“Hi, Lydia. How’s Walter?” Meg asked. She’d called the hospital, but since she wasn’t family, they wouldn’t give her any information.

“He’s doing well, thank you. In fact, they’re releasing him as long as he promises to take it easy, and you can bet I’ll make sure that he does,” the other woman said, relief in her voice.

“I … I don’t know how to thank him for what he did for me,” Meg said.

“Don’t worry, honey. He knows.”

Meg sighed.

“There’s something else I wanted to tell you. It’s about Mike.”

Meg stiffened but forced herself to remain calm and listen. “Yes?”

“Walter and I talked to Mike. We told him we would pay for his lawyer if he signed away his rights to the baby.”

“What?” Meg asked startled.

“We explained that if he did, we’d hire a lawyer whose goal was to get him into a prison with treatment for addiction. If he doesn’t sign the papers, he can go with a public defender and hope for the best,” Lydia said, her voice cracking with emotion.

It was hard not to feel sorry for her as the mother of a man with serious issues. “Do you think he’ll sign?” Meg asked.

“I do. He swore he would because the thought of being left high and dry by us is more than he can handle. He realizes there is no situation that will give him access to money he can use to fuel his addiction. That should also help.”

“Lydia, thank you,” Meg said again. “I don’t know what more to say.” The couple had chosen their grandchild over their son, and Meg would be forever grateful. “I’d like to come visit when Walter is up to it.”

“We’d love that,” Lydia said. “We are looking forward to getting to know you.”

Meg smiled. “I feel the same way.”

“Good. And make sure that nice Scott Dare drives you. It’s a long ride. You need to take care of yourself,” Lydia reminded her.

A knot of emotion welled inside Meg at the sincere sound of caring in the woman’s voice. She couldn’t bring herself to explain why Scott wouldn’t be with her or that she’d brought that on herself.

“Take care and we’ll talk soon,” Lydia said.

“Good-bye.” Meg disconnected the call and placed her phone onto the kitchen table.

A glance told her there were no missed calls or texts while she’d been on the phone. Why would there be? Scott had offered Meg everything she’d ever wanted. He told her he’d always give her what she wanted. And she’d basically informed him she wanted to be alone.

Brilliant, Meg.

She headed for the kitchen and grabbed foil, wrapping the individual slices up and placing them in the freezer for another time. No way could she eat them now.

Tags: Carly Phillips Dare to Love Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net