phone. “Good luck.”
Dave pressed the phone against his ear. It went straight to voice mail. Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer that he wasn’t too late. They had to talk; they could figure this out, unless he’d run out of time and Maya was already another man’s wife.
They were driving out of the airport parking lot just as Maya got her mother’s text message about dinner at their house. Apparently Jack would be there. She was tired, but she’d missed out on dinner with her family for the past two weekends, so she felt obliged to go. Fortunately, Chris was always willing to do anything to make her happy. He was a good man, kind, decent, loyal. He would be the perfect husband.
Turning onto their tree-lined street, she gripped the armrest when she spotted Dave’s big black truck parallel parked on the street. “I don’t believe this,” she muttered, trying to decide whether it was too late to feign illness. Apparently so; her father’s car was pulling into the driveway right in front of them.
Honking his horn, he smiled and waved.
“Looks like your parents have company tonight,” Chris said, gesturing toward the black beast parked in front of their house. There was no mistaking Dave’s truck, all jacked up with big ass tires and too much chrome. It was every boy’s ultimate toy, which seemed perfect for him since he still had the maturity of a five year old.
In the days since he’d walked out on her, she’d managed to move past the guilt and regret that had plagued her for years. Now she was pissed. She’d said she was sorry, begged for forgiveness, swallowed her pride, and put herself out there. And he had the nerve to act like he was the injured party, yet again, just because she hadn’t taken a vow of celibacy. The self-righteous jerk. He’d had sex with everyone and their sister, yet he expected her to join a convent and spend the rest of her life repenting for one single sin. Like hell! Her days of worshipping the memory of Dave Briar were over, and there was no time like the present to set him straight.
Reaching into the back seat to retrieve the bottle of wine they’d picked up on the way, Chris asked, “Hey, you okay? You seem kind of upset.”
“That truck belongs to Dave.”
The color drained from his face as he stared at the offending vehicle. “The guy you were with at the hospital? The one you slept with?”
She had told Chris the truth about what happened when he claimed he was ready to take their relationship to the next level. She didn’t want any secrets between them. “I didn’t invite him, I swear.”
“Then what the hell is he doing here?”
“I wish I knew. He was good friends with my brother when they were in high school. My father was his football coach, and both of my parents loved him. I guess they invited him to dinner to catch up.”
“Great,” Chris muttered, reaching for the door handle. “This oughta be fun.”
She grabbed his hand. “We don’t have to do this if you’re uncomfortable.” She could hardly blame him. If the situation were reversed, she wouldn’t want to break bread with a woman he’d had sex with just a few short days ago.
“No, I’m okay. I think it’s time we clued him in on where he stands with you.”
Baiting Dave was just asking for trouble. He was a hulk of a man with a short fuse. A potentially lethal combination. “Chris, wait, my parents invited him. He’s their guest. I don’t want to upset them.”
“Of course not, sweetheart,” he said, getting out of the car, and coming around to her side. “We don’t have to be rude to be obvious.” He linked his hand with her, kissing it.
After taking a deep breath, she allowed him to lead her into the house.
Dave was standing at the stove with his back to her, wearing a tight black t-shirt, faded jeans, and motorcycle boots. Lord have mercy, the man’s shoulders were a mile wide. He was dipping a piece of her mother’s homemade bread into the
Dave pressed the phone against his ear. It went straight to voice mail. Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer that he wasn’t too late. They had to talk; they could figure this out, unless he’d run out of time and Maya was already another man’s wife.
They were driving out of the airport parking lot just as Maya got her mother’s text message about dinner at their house. Apparently Jack would be there. She was tired, but she’d missed out on dinner with her family for the past two weekends, so she felt obliged to go. Fortunately, Chris was always willing to do anything to make her happy. He was a good man, kind, decent, loyal. He would be the perfect husband.
Turning onto their tree-lined street, she gripped the armrest when she spotted Dave’s big black truck parallel parked on the street. “I don’t believe this,” she muttered, trying to decide whether it was too late to feign illness. Apparently so; her father’s car was pulling into the driveway right in front of them.
Honking his horn, he smiled and waved.
“Looks like your parents have company tonight,” Chris said, gesturing toward the black beast parked in front of their house. There was no mistaking Dave’s truck, all jacked up with big ass tires and too much chrome. It was every boy’s ultimate toy, which seemed perfect for him since he still had the maturity of a five year old.
In the days since he’d walked out on her, she’d managed to move past the guilt and regret that had plagued her for years. Now she was pissed. She’d said she was sorry, begged for forgiveness, swallowed her pride, and put herself out there. And he had the nerve to act like he was the injured party, yet again, just because she hadn’t taken a vow of celibacy. The self-righteous jerk. He’d had sex with everyone and their sister, yet he expected her to join a convent and spend the rest of her life repenting for one single sin. Like hell! Her days of worshipping the memory of Dave Briar were over, and there was no time like the present to set him straight.
Reaching into the back seat to retrieve the bottle of wine they’d picked up on the way, Chris asked, “Hey, you okay? You seem kind of upset.”
“That truck belongs to Dave.”
The color drained from his face as he stared at the offending vehicle. “The guy you were with at the hospital? The one you slept with?”
She had told Chris the truth about what happened when he claimed he was ready to take their relationship to the next level. She didn’t want any secrets between them. “I didn’t invite him, I swear.”
“Then what the hell is he doing here?”
“I wish I knew. He was good friends with my brother when they were in high school. My father was his football coach, and both of my parents loved him. I guess they invited him to dinner to catch up.”
“Great,” Chris muttered, reaching for the door handle. “This oughta be fun.”
She grabbed his hand. “We don’t have to do this if you’re uncomfortable.” She could hardly blame him. If the situation were reversed, she wouldn’t want to break bread with a woman he’d had sex with just a few short days ago.
“No, I’m okay. I think it’s time we clued him in on where he stands with you.”
Baiting Dave was just asking for trouble. He was a hulk of a man with a short fuse. A potentially lethal combination. “Chris, wait, my parents invited him. He’s their guest. I don’t want to upset them.”
“Of course not, sweetheart,” he said, getting out of the car, and coming around to her side. “We don’t have to be rude to be obvious.” He linked his hand with her, kissing it.
After taking a deep breath, she allowed him to lead her into the house.
Dave was standing at the stove with his back to her, wearing a tight black t-shirt, faded jeans, and motorcycle boots. Lord have mercy, the man’s shoulders were a mile wide. He was dipping a piece of her mother’s homemade bread into the
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