apology took him by surprise. Just when he thought he'd finally figured her out, that he'd finally seen her for the self-centered, vindictive bitch she was, she went and did something to totally throw him off balance.
The three of them drove home in silence. When they arrived at the house, the rest of the group was having a night cap in the living room.
"Come join us, you three," Foster said. "Tomorrow is going to be a crazy day. Let's take a few minutes now to relax."
"I'm sorry, but if you'll excuse me, I think I'll head upstairs," Dani said. "It's been a long day."
"Goodnight," Chantal said, kissing her cheek. "Sleep well."
"Thank you." She glanced at Zach. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
He watched her leave the room. She'd made no effort to keep up the boyfriend/girlfriend pretense by kissing him goodnight. Was their fake relationship over?
Zach shook his head. It seemed he wasn't any better at fake relationships than he was with the real ones.
"Don't worry about Dani," Fiona said in a quiet voice meant only for him. "She's the strongest person I know. She'll be okay."
He wasn't so sure. He'd seen the vulnerability in her eyes. Had Chantal's earlier remarks left her as unscathed as Fiona believed?
He and Chantal joined the rest of the group for a drink. A short time later Camp set his empty glass on a side table and got to his feet.
"It's time for me to say goodnight, children. I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight, Grandfather," Chantal said. "Sleep well."
"Goodnight, dear." Camp shuffled off towards his bedroom.
Foster finished the last of his scotch. "I guess that's my cue to say goodnight as well."
"Yes, tomorrow's a big day for me," Fiona said with a smile. "I'm going to try to get some sleep." She turned to Todd. "The next time you see me, I'll be walking up the aisle on my father's arm."
He kissed her forehead. "I can't wait."
The plan was for the groom and his groomsmen to head over to the hotel early in the morning and get ready for the wedding in Todd's parents' suite. Fiona kissed Todd goodnight and left. A few moments later Todd and Jonathan finished their drinks and said their goodnights as well. Only Zach and Chantal remained. He got to his feet, uncomfortable to be left alone with her.
"Time for me to say goodnight, too. See you in the morning."
She shot to her feet, laying her hand on his arm to stop him from leaving. "Wait. I need to tell you something, Zach. I need to tell you that I'm still in love with you. Please, please can't we try just one more time?"
He stared into her beautiful face. Her eyes welled with tears that threatened to slip down her silky cheeks. Her tears had always been able to bend him to their will. He'd do anything to keep her from crying.
He felt that old familiar tug, that irresistible force that had pulled him back to her before, even when he knew going back to her would only bring him more heartache. But then a strange thing happened. A picture of Dani popped into his mind's eye. He saw her jogging beside him on a crisp autumn morning, her ponytail bobbing as she laughed up at him. He felt her in his arms, heard her soft sigh as her lips met his.
Maybe she was his talisman after all.
He gently pried Chantal's fingers from his arm. "It's no good. We're no good. I'm with Dani now and you'll just have to accept that."
She stood motionless, stunned disbelief etched on her face. "You can't be serious. Dani? Think of all the good times we've had. Think of how good we are together. Dani will never give you what I can give you."
"No, she won't." She simply didn't understand the turmoil she'd put him through. "And that's why we're together."
He turned on his heel, relief making him a little lightheaded. For the first time, he'd actually said no to Chantal. He had Dani to thank for that.
"I'm not giving up on us, Zach. I'm not going to let you throw away your life," she called after him.
He didn't respond. He hurried out of the living room, anxious to escape
The three of them drove home in silence. When they arrived at the house, the rest of the group was having a night cap in the living room.
"Come join us, you three," Foster said. "Tomorrow is going to be a crazy day. Let's take a few minutes now to relax."
"I'm sorry, but if you'll excuse me, I think I'll head upstairs," Dani said. "It's been a long day."
"Goodnight," Chantal said, kissing her cheek. "Sleep well."
"Thank you." She glanced at Zach. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
He watched her leave the room. She'd made no effort to keep up the boyfriend/girlfriend pretense by kissing him goodnight. Was their fake relationship over?
Zach shook his head. It seemed he wasn't any better at fake relationships than he was with the real ones.
"Don't worry about Dani," Fiona said in a quiet voice meant only for him. "She's the strongest person I know. She'll be okay."
He wasn't so sure. He'd seen the vulnerability in her eyes. Had Chantal's earlier remarks left her as unscathed as Fiona believed?
He and Chantal joined the rest of the group for a drink. A short time later Camp set his empty glass on a side table and got to his feet.
"It's time for me to say goodnight, children. I'll see you in the morning."
"Goodnight, Grandfather," Chantal said. "Sleep well."
"Goodnight, dear." Camp shuffled off towards his bedroom.
Foster finished the last of his scotch. "I guess that's my cue to say goodnight as well."
"Yes, tomorrow's a big day for me," Fiona said with a smile. "I'm going to try to get some sleep." She turned to Todd. "The next time you see me, I'll be walking up the aisle on my father's arm."
He kissed her forehead. "I can't wait."
The plan was for the groom and his groomsmen to head over to the hotel early in the morning and get ready for the wedding in Todd's parents' suite. Fiona kissed Todd goodnight and left. A few moments later Todd and Jonathan finished their drinks and said their goodnights as well. Only Zach and Chantal remained. He got to his feet, uncomfortable to be left alone with her.
"Time for me to say goodnight, too. See you in the morning."
She shot to her feet, laying her hand on his arm to stop him from leaving. "Wait. I need to tell you something, Zach. I need to tell you that I'm still in love with you. Please, please can't we try just one more time?"
He stared into her beautiful face. Her eyes welled with tears that threatened to slip down her silky cheeks. Her tears had always been able to bend him to their will. He'd do anything to keep her from crying.
He felt that old familiar tug, that irresistible force that had pulled him back to her before, even when he knew going back to her would only bring him more heartache. But then a strange thing happened. A picture of Dani popped into his mind's eye. He saw her jogging beside him on a crisp autumn morning, her ponytail bobbing as she laughed up at him. He felt her in his arms, heard her soft sigh as her lips met his.
Maybe she was his talisman after all.
He gently pried Chantal's fingers from his arm. "It's no good. We're no good. I'm with Dani now and you'll just have to accept that."
She stood motionless, stunned disbelief etched on her face. "You can't be serious. Dani? Think of all the good times we've had. Think of how good we are together. Dani will never give you what I can give you."
"No, she won't." She simply didn't understand the turmoil she'd put him through. "And that's why we're together."
He turned on his heel, relief making him a little lightheaded. For the first time, he'd actually said no to Chantal. He had Dani to thank for that.
"I'm not giving up on us, Zach. I'm not going to let you throw away your life," she called after him.
He didn't respond. He hurried out of the living room, anxious to escape
Similar Books
