Page 42 of I Wanna Dance

“Because…I don’t want you.”

I scoffed. “Don’t be childish.”

She wrenched open my car door and stepped out. I followed her and walked to her side. “Leah?—”

“It’s done. All…I can’t do this, Marco.”

“So, you want to break us up because you think I’m going to leave you?”

She swallowed. “Aren’t you?”

I shook my head. “You need to figure your shit out, Leah, and when you do, call me, alright? Damn it. I’ve opened myself up to you, and it’s not enough. Nothing is enough for you.” Now anger was riding me, and I knew I should shut up and not say things that I was sure I’d regret, but she was breaking my heart.

“Okay.” Her voice was small and flat. “Goodnight, Marco.”

“You think I’m not scared?”

“I don’t know what you are, Marco.”

“Yes, you do. You just don’t have the courage to stand up for what you want. When you find your spine, Leah, we’ll talk again.”

She clutched her award as if it were the only thing keeping her steady, then walked to the front door of her building. I waited, the night air cool against my skin, and watched the door close behind her. Every part of me wanted to run after her, to tell her I didn’t mean it, but if this was going to work, she needed to get with the program. I’d give her a couple of days to calm down.

It was the wrong time to have our first fight, especially since I had plans to celebrate the night away. Well, we’d just have to find another evening to do this and soon.

CHAPTER 21

Leah

Heartbreak was an old, familiar companion. It had crept in after Kevin’s affair, stayed for years as I pieced my life back together, and now it was back again, wrapping itself around my chest like a heavy, unwelcome weight. But this time, it wasn’t going to break me. Not again.

I hadn’t called Marco sincethatnight. He hadn’t called me either.

Two days. That was the time that had passed, and Imissedhim. I missed him more than I had Kevin when we’d been married for freakingyears. It made no sense.

Yes, it does, Leah. You fell in love with Marco in a way you were never able to with Kevin.

I still didn’t understand what happened. One minute we were having fun, and then the other, he told me about Kevin, and I freaked the fuck out. Now, I didn’t know how to backtrack or find my way back with Marco.

He hurt me. Hereallyhurt me.

“You just don’t have the courage to stand up for what you want. When you find your spine, Leah, we’ll talk again.”

But he wasn’t wrong, was he? I didn’t have the courage to stand up for what I wanted, which was him. I wanted Marco Cabrera, but I was so scared he was going to leave me. And then what would happen?

But what if he doesn’t leave, Leah?

Yeah, things like that didn’t happen to me. My own kids dumped me, and even now, I felt like I was walking around on eggshells with them. One wrong word, and I’d be in the doghouse again.

I went to work, and when Alana asked why I looked like shit, I told her not to ask me that for a few days. When she asked me how Marco was doing, I told her not to ask me that for a few days, either.

“Did you guys break up?”

I glared at her. “What did I just say?”

Alana sighed. “What did you do?”

“Why do you assume it was me?” I exclaimed. “He might’ve?—”

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