didn’t matter? Was it always only about
Blake. If so, I told you I wouldn’t keep him…”
He interrupted her. “What
the hell are you talking about? I didn’t invite anyone to the party, and the
only girlfriend I have is you. How can you doubt that?”
Rushing to her bag, she
snatched out the newspaper, still turned to page six, and thrust it at him. “A
picture is worth a thousand words, don’t you think?” she said with a mocking
flourish.
He quickly scanned the
pictures and the words. “Trinity, it’s not what you think…” he began.
Trinity reached into her
front pocket and withdrew the small business card. “I found this in the jacket
you wore last night,” she said almost victoriously.
He took the card and glanced
at it, vaguely remembering taking it and slipping it into his pocket the night
before. He cringed when he read the words after seeing the speculation in the
newspaper: When you tire of playing house…. Call me.
Balling the card in his
fist, he exhaled before rubbing the back of his neck. “Trinity, while it’s true
Olivia was at the party, I did not invite her. And while it’s also true that we
once had… a thing, it was a while ago…”
“So you didn’t have dinner
with her last week?” she asked, interrupting him.
He stared into her eyes
while his teeth ground together. “Well, technically speaking, no. I had dinner
with her father and she attended the dinner with him … she was with
him… not me.”
Her eyes shifted side to
side and her lips trembled as she tried to read what was
the truth and what was a lie. Frustration, fear, and jealousy
clawed at her insides. Because she so wanted to believe his words, she was
afraid she was just seeing what she wanted to. Could the explanation be that
simple? “Well, you certainly looked cozy at the party, if the picture is any
indication… and you kept her card. Why’d you keep her card if you weren’t
intending on calling her?”
Sitting down heavily on the
couch, he set his forearms against his thighs and interlocked his fingers. “She’s
the daughter of a business associate. I haven’t been with her – like that – in
several months. She wanted to continue on with what we had, but I didn’t then,
and don’t now.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes tiredly.
“Trinity, I’m sorry I have a past, I’m especially sorry that past keeps coming
back to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you. But at some point you need to trust
me. I love you. I’ve asked you marry me. I don’t know what else to do. I know
our beginning was suspect, but I’ve tried to be an open book to you since.
You’re going to have to help me… I can’t do this alone.”
She lifted soulful eyes to
his. “It was my fault,” she rasped.
“What was?”
“I was distracted by the
pictures in the paper… you… my father… and I wasn’t paying attention when I
walked into the building. I practically walked right into the middle of the
hornet’s nest before I realized what was going on. I should have been paying
more attention.”
“Honey, it wasn’t your
fault. They are vultures. I don’t blame you. Why would you expect them? I
didn’t. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I should have taken more precautions,
but I didn’t know they could find you. And I certainly didn’t think the
engagement and baby would be leaked this soon. I’m sorry, Trinity, so very sorry.”
She stood looking intently
into his eyes for a long moment before turning away and rubbing her arms
furiously as if cold. She stared out of the window without seeing, trying
desperately to have things make sense. She jumped when she felt his hands on
her shoulders.
Brushing his lips against
the side of her head, he said, “Trinity, I swear, this is real. I need you to
believe that. You can trust me.”
Silently, she nodded her
head. Cautiously, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her back against him.
She held herself stiffly in his
Blake. If so, I told you I wouldn’t keep him…”
He interrupted her. “What
the hell are you talking about? I didn’t invite anyone to the party, and the
only girlfriend I have is you. How can you doubt that?”
Rushing to her bag, she
snatched out the newspaper, still turned to page six, and thrust it at him. “A
picture is worth a thousand words, don’t you think?” she said with a mocking
flourish.
He quickly scanned the
pictures and the words. “Trinity, it’s not what you think…” he began.
Trinity reached into her
front pocket and withdrew the small business card. “I found this in the jacket
you wore last night,” she said almost victoriously.
He took the card and glanced
at it, vaguely remembering taking it and slipping it into his pocket the night
before. He cringed when he read the words after seeing the speculation in the
newspaper: When you tire of playing house…. Call me.
Balling the card in his
fist, he exhaled before rubbing the back of his neck. “Trinity, while it’s true
Olivia was at the party, I did not invite her. And while it’s also true that we
once had… a thing, it was a while ago…”
“So you didn’t have dinner
with her last week?” she asked, interrupting him.
He stared into her eyes
while his teeth ground together. “Well, technically speaking, no. I had dinner
with her father and she attended the dinner with him … she was with
him… not me.”
Her eyes shifted side to
side and her lips trembled as she tried to read what was
the truth and what was a lie. Frustration, fear, and jealousy
clawed at her insides. Because she so wanted to believe his words, she was
afraid she was just seeing what she wanted to. Could the explanation be that
simple? “Well, you certainly looked cozy at the party, if the picture is any
indication… and you kept her card. Why’d you keep her card if you weren’t
intending on calling her?”
Sitting down heavily on the
couch, he set his forearms against his thighs and interlocked his fingers. “She’s
the daughter of a business associate. I haven’t been with her – like that – in
several months. She wanted to continue on with what we had, but I didn’t then,
and don’t now.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes tiredly.
“Trinity, I’m sorry I have a past, I’m especially sorry that past keeps coming
back to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you. But at some point you need to trust
me. I love you. I’ve asked you marry me. I don’t know what else to do. I know
our beginning was suspect, but I’ve tried to be an open book to you since.
You’re going to have to help me… I can’t do this alone.”
She lifted soulful eyes to
his. “It was my fault,” she rasped.
“What was?”
“I was distracted by the
pictures in the paper… you… my father… and I wasn’t paying attention when I
walked into the building. I practically walked right into the middle of the
hornet’s nest before I realized what was going on. I should have been paying
more attention.”
“Honey, it wasn’t your
fault. They are vultures. I don’t blame you. Why would you expect them? I
didn’t. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I should have taken more precautions,
but I didn’t know they could find you. And I certainly didn’t think the
engagement and baby would be leaked this soon. I’m sorry, Trinity, so very sorry.”
She stood looking intently
into his eyes for a long moment before turning away and rubbing her arms
furiously as if cold. She stared out of the window without seeing, trying
desperately to have things make sense. She jumped when she felt his hands on
her shoulders.
Brushing his lips against
the side of her head, he said, “Trinity, I swear, this is real. I need you to
believe that. You can trust me.”
Silently, she nodded her
head. Cautiously, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her back against him.
She held herself stiffly in his
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