Page 113 of Wilde Abandon

“She put the idea into your head.”

He sighed.“No.She didn’t.In fact, she was adamant about not wanting to take our money until my friends and I convinced her to let us partner with her.”

Tanya gave him aSee?She got what she wanted and you think you gave it to herlook.

He rolled his eyes.“Do you want to know why I’m here?”

She folded her arms over her chest, matching his pose.“Why?”

“To tell you that I thought about what you asked for.”

Her arms fell down to her sides as she sat up straight.“The cruise?”

“Yes.If you want to go, I’ll buy you the ticket and get you a nurse to go with you, so long as you agree to continue your treatment plan.I’ll even throw in some spending money.”A couple grand should hold her over for the forty-five-day trip.

She raised a brow, suspicion in her eyes.“What changed your mind?”

“If this is what you truly want and it will make you happy…” He shrugged.He was never going to have the kind of talk he hoped they’d have.He’d given up on that.He was tired of waiting for something that was never going to happen.

Tanya didn’t have it in her.So he was letting her go on her trip to live out her last days in the sunshine, seeing new places and experiencing new things.

But Melody…she loved with her whole heart.She’d stepped into their relationship with every bit of her being, with the intention of making a life with him.

This thing he was doing with Tanya…it was a waste of time.He felt bad about thinking of it that way, but that’s what it was.His desire to do something good felt more like an obligation he had taken on but wasn’t his responsibility.

Blood didn’t make them family.

She’d broken their bond when she hurt and abandoned him.

So this was his way of severing it this time, but in a kinder, gentler, distancing sort of way.Bon voyage!I’m going home to be with the woman I love where we’ll be happy.

“So that’s it.You send me away, so you can be with her and go back to your fancy life in the big city where you’re the big shot at work.”

Now she’s complaining that she got her way.“What did you expect?”

“That you wouldn’t be like me.”

“I’m nothing like you.I’m certainly not him.I’m a better man because of her.”In so many ways.Because she saved me.Because she loves me.Because I want to be everything she needs and more.

Because the only people who truly mattered were the ones who had your back.

He didn’t need Tanya’s apology or approval or admiration.Not even her consideration.

He was better off letting this go.

Tanya pouted.“She’s taking you away from me again.”

“No.It wasn’t true then, and it’s not now.You want to see something of the world before you die, I’m making that happen.”

“So you can be with her.”

“I made the trip here to try to forge some kind of relationship with you.There’s too much history and not enough intention on either of our parts to turn this into something more than what it is.I hoped for more.”He’d set his expectations too high.

“I deserve more than you’re giving her,” she snapped, fury in her eyes.“I’m your mother.”

He scoffed at that, unfolded his arms, and stood tall, his own anger building.“You’re the one who wants to leave the past buried.But if you want to dig it up and talk about what you deserve, I’m happy to grab a shovel and expose all the shit you put me through, so we can talk about howIdeserved better.”

“You did.I agree.But maybe consider what a shit life we would have had if I’d taken you and tried to raise you on my own.”

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