I’m
thinkin’ it might be time to slow down. Buy the house, adopt the dog, find a
wife, have a couple of kids. You know, all the things we used to talk about.”
Her stomach
clenched as she imagined some other woman living her life. Pulling away
and stepping another foot closer to the water’s edge so she could feel the
splash of the water gliding over her feet, she said, “I hope you find
everything you’re looking for.”
He stretched his
arms over his head and released a contented sigh. “I will. I’m not worried.”
She glared at him
out of the corner of her eye. Of course he wouldn’t be worried. Women had
thrown themselves at him for as long as she could remember. He’d always been
rich, gorgeous, smart, and sexy, but now he had the impressive title to make
him the ultimate catch. “Just make sure you don’t choose some gold-digger who’s
only after your money,” she muttered.
He laughed. “I
have better taste in women than that, don’t you think?”
She didn’t know if
he was serious or just trying to bait her. Either way, she didn’t like it. “I
don’t know. It’s been a long time since you’ve had to find a girlfriend.
Unless…” She hated herself for asking, but her curiosity wrestled her pride to
the mat and won. “Have you been seeing anyone this past year?”
He shrugged. “I’ve
gone out on a few dates. Nothing serious.” Translation – I’ve slept with a
few women.
“Are you thinking
one of them might be the one ?” It pained her to even ask the question,
but if he responded the way she feared he might, at least it would help her
move on.
“I didn’t think
so, but…”
She held her
breath as she waited for him to continue. When he said nothing, she clenched
the soft fabric of her skirt in tight fists and asked, “But?”
“That was before
you made me believe we didn’t have a chance at a future together.”
She narrowed her
eyes at him. “Back at the airport you made it sound like you weren’t ready to
give up on me. What changed your mind?”
“You did,” he
said, brushing a hand across her cheek to remove a strand of hair plastered
across her lips. “I don’t know why, but somethin’ clicked. I laid on the bed in
the plane for a long time thinkin’ about what we had, what I want…”
“And?” She was
determined not to cry. This was a good thing. He was finally willing to let her
go so she could get on with her life. “What do you want?”
“Like I said, I
want to settle down.” He reached for her hand. “We had some amazing years
together, but I know we can’t go back. You can’t trust me with your heart
again, and I understand why, but I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends?”
She swallowed the
lump in her throat, determined not to let him see how much this hurt her. “You
want to be friends?”
“Sure.” He lifted
a shoulder. “You and Lena are still tight. Dom’s my best friend. We’re bound to
cross paths, you know, when Dom and Lena have kids. There’ll be baptisms,
birthday parties, holiday get-togethers. Our lives are linked, whether we like
it or not, right?”
She nodded, not
trusting herself to speak. She was grateful the breeze was drying her tears
before they could fall.
“I think what
happened the other night happened for a reason, so we can both find closure.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll always care
about what happens to you, and you know that if you ever need anything, you can
always call me.”
“I know,” she
whispered, burying her head in his chest. She didn’t expect it to hurt so much,
but this felt more final than the first time they broke up because this time he
was letting her go instead of the other way around.
He tipped her head
up and brushed away the tear that escaped. “Please don’t cry.”
She sniffled. “I
know it’s silly. We’ve been broken up a long time, but…”
“It’s hard to say
good-bye.” He kissed her forehead. “I
thinkin’ it might be time to slow down. Buy the house, adopt the dog, find a
wife, have a couple of kids. You know, all the things we used to talk about.”
Her stomach
clenched as she imagined some other woman living her life. Pulling away
and stepping another foot closer to the water’s edge so she could feel the
splash of the water gliding over her feet, she said, “I hope you find
everything you’re looking for.”
He stretched his
arms over his head and released a contented sigh. “I will. I’m not worried.”
She glared at him
out of the corner of her eye. Of course he wouldn’t be worried. Women had
thrown themselves at him for as long as she could remember. He’d always been
rich, gorgeous, smart, and sexy, but now he had the impressive title to make
him the ultimate catch. “Just make sure you don’t choose some gold-digger who’s
only after your money,” she muttered.
He laughed. “I
have better taste in women than that, don’t you think?”
She didn’t know if
he was serious or just trying to bait her. Either way, she didn’t like it. “I
don’t know. It’s been a long time since you’ve had to find a girlfriend.
Unless…” She hated herself for asking, but her curiosity wrestled her pride to
the mat and won. “Have you been seeing anyone this past year?”
He shrugged. “I’ve
gone out on a few dates. Nothing serious.” Translation – I’ve slept with a
few women.
“Are you thinking
one of them might be the one ?” It pained her to even ask the question,
but if he responded the way she feared he might, at least it would help her
move on.
“I didn’t think
so, but…”
She held her
breath as she waited for him to continue. When he said nothing, she clenched
the soft fabric of her skirt in tight fists and asked, “But?”
“That was before
you made me believe we didn’t have a chance at a future together.”
She narrowed her
eyes at him. “Back at the airport you made it sound like you weren’t ready to
give up on me. What changed your mind?”
“You did,” he
said, brushing a hand across her cheek to remove a strand of hair plastered
across her lips. “I don’t know why, but somethin’ clicked. I laid on the bed in
the plane for a long time thinkin’ about what we had, what I want…”
“And?” She was
determined not to cry. This was a good thing. He was finally willing to let her
go so she could get on with her life. “What do you want?”
“Like I said, I
want to settle down.” He reached for her hand. “We had some amazing years
together, but I know we can’t go back. You can’t trust me with your heart
again, and I understand why, but I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends?”
She swallowed the
lump in her throat, determined not to let him see how much this hurt her. “You
want to be friends?”
“Sure.” He lifted
a shoulder. “You and Lena are still tight. Dom’s my best friend. We’re bound to
cross paths, you know, when Dom and Lena have kids. There’ll be baptisms,
birthday parties, holiday get-togethers. Our lives are linked, whether we like
it or not, right?”
She nodded, not
trusting herself to speak. She was grateful the breeze was drying her tears
before they could fall.
“I think what
happened the other night happened for a reason, so we can both find closure.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll always care
about what happens to you, and you know that if you ever need anything, you can
always call me.”
“I know,” she
whispered, burying her head in his chest. She didn’t expect it to hurt so much,
but this felt more final than the first time they broke up because this time he
was letting her go instead of the other way around.
He tipped her head
up and brushed away the tear that escaped. “Please don’t cry.”
She sniffled. “I
know it’s silly. We’ve been broken up a long time, but…”
“It’s hard to say
good-bye.” He kissed her forehead. “I
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