you night after night, not because you needed someone to care for you. I did it because I knew I wanted to be that someone for the rest of my life. I did it for the same reason I showed up at the train station the night you left, a few minutes too late. Because I love you, Ally.”
His eyes fell to her lips as he watched them press and part. Every second she didn’t respond increased the ache in his gut. Before he could beg her to answer, her voice cleared.
“I…I don’t know what to say. Why are you doing this? Why are you lying?”
The last chord of hope snapped from Jonah’s chest. “I’m not lying! I tried to stop you that night. Would have succeeded if I hadn’t been dealing with your drunk mother.”
The words flew out before he could stop them. He’d always planned to tell her the truth if given the chance, but not like this. Not with them yelling at each other.
Tears formed in Ally’s eyes as she slapped him across the face. “Lies. It’s all lies! Mom gave up drinking a month before I left. Cassie said she’s been sober since.”
Heat pulsed in Jonah’s cheek as he continued to stare at her, not flinching from her assault. He deserved any ounce of pain she chose to put him through. But she also deserved the truth. “Your mother may be sober now, but I can assure you of this. She wasn’t that night.”
“Don’t you dare blame my mother for this! You had a chance to tell me how you felt, but you didn’t. Hell, you could have called me after I left. You had six years to find me and tell me. Now you want to play the victim.”
“I tried to call. A couple of times. Every time I heard your voice, I’d choke up.” His voice began to shake as he moved his eyes to the floor. “Deep down, I knew your mother was right. I wasn’t any good for you, Ally. Doesn’t mean it hurts any less to know that someone kissed you before I did.” He gazed up at her mouth, remembering the warmth of her lips pressed to his. “To know that someone touched you the way I always wanted to touch you… It’s killing me.”
“You don’t think it hurts me to know you’ve been with other women? You’re such a hypocrite. I can’t take this!” she cried, throwing her hands in the air. She brushed past him, stomping toward the door.
“Ally, wait!” He pleaded, forcing his legs to take quick steps.
Curling her fingers around the knob, her eyes darted back to his. “Get out, Jonah! I never want to see you again.”
He stepped forward, reaching out for her, but she swatted his hand away. The rejection rocked him to the core. She hated him. Disgust raged in her tear filled eyes. He’d rather have taken a beating than to have her look at him like that.
Raising his hands in front of him, he took a step back, hoping she would change her mind. The change never came.
“Whatever you want, Ally” he snorted, turning toward the door as she opened it. He’d made it two steps past before he met her eyes once more. “I’m heading back to L.A. tomorrow, instead of Wednesday. You won’t ever have to see me again. But it won’t change the truth. I love you, Ally. I’ve always loved you. Probably always will.”
CHAPTER 9
Ally pulled into the driveway, listening to the hum of the windshield wipers as they passed across the glass. She could almost hear the bathtub calling her name. Could almost feel the scalding water burning her skin. What better way to help her forget the last few hours of her life?
She’d been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed everyone else leaving the office hours before she did. Even the drive home became a blur.
Only one thing stood in her way of unwinding with milk and honey bath salts. The familiar figure standing at her door. She didn’t know why her mother had stopped by her house. Didn’t really care. All she wanted was to be left alone.
Killing the engine, she listened to the raindrops beat against the roof. They pounded in a rhythm that matched the ones in her
His eyes fell to her lips as he watched them press and part. Every second she didn’t respond increased the ache in his gut. Before he could beg her to answer, her voice cleared.
“I…I don’t know what to say. Why are you doing this? Why are you lying?”
The last chord of hope snapped from Jonah’s chest. “I’m not lying! I tried to stop you that night. Would have succeeded if I hadn’t been dealing with your drunk mother.”
The words flew out before he could stop them. He’d always planned to tell her the truth if given the chance, but not like this. Not with them yelling at each other.
Tears formed in Ally’s eyes as she slapped him across the face. “Lies. It’s all lies! Mom gave up drinking a month before I left. Cassie said she’s been sober since.”
Heat pulsed in Jonah’s cheek as he continued to stare at her, not flinching from her assault. He deserved any ounce of pain she chose to put him through. But she also deserved the truth. “Your mother may be sober now, but I can assure you of this. She wasn’t that night.”
“Don’t you dare blame my mother for this! You had a chance to tell me how you felt, but you didn’t. Hell, you could have called me after I left. You had six years to find me and tell me. Now you want to play the victim.”
“I tried to call. A couple of times. Every time I heard your voice, I’d choke up.” His voice began to shake as he moved his eyes to the floor. “Deep down, I knew your mother was right. I wasn’t any good for you, Ally. Doesn’t mean it hurts any less to know that someone kissed you before I did.” He gazed up at her mouth, remembering the warmth of her lips pressed to his. “To know that someone touched you the way I always wanted to touch you… It’s killing me.”
“You don’t think it hurts me to know you’ve been with other women? You’re such a hypocrite. I can’t take this!” she cried, throwing her hands in the air. She brushed past him, stomping toward the door.
“Ally, wait!” He pleaded, forcing his legs to take quick steps.
Curling her fingers around the knob, her eyes darted back to his. “Get out, Jonah! I never want to see you again.”
He stepped forward, reaching out for her, but she swatted his hand away. The rejection rocked him to the core. She hated him. Disgust raged in her tear filled eyes. He’d rather have taken a beating than to have her look at him like that.
Raising his hands in front of him, he took a step back, hoping she would change her mind. The change never came.
“Whatever you want, Ally” he snorted, turning toward the door as she opened it. He’d made it two steps past before he met her eyes once more. “I’m heading back to L.A. tomorrow, instead of Wednesday. You won’t ever have to see me again. But it won’t change the truth. I love you, Ally. I’ve always loved you. Probably always will.”
CHAPTER 9
Ally pulled into the driveway, listening to the hum of the windshield wipers as they passed across the glass. She could almost hear the bathtub calling her name. Could almost feel the scalding water burning her skin. What better way to help her forget the last few hours of her life?
She’d been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed everyone else leaving the office hours before she did. Even the drive home became a blur.
Only one thing stood in her way of unwinding with milk and honey bath salts. The familiar figure standing at her door. She didn’t know why her mother had stopped by her house. Didn’t really care. All she wanted was to be left alone.
Killing the engine, she listened to the raindrops beat against the roof. They pounded in a rhythm that matched the ones in her
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