Page 75 of The Bargain

Sebastian had only wanted to help me through the rough patch. To give me a little breathing room so I wasn’t killing myself to support my mom and brother. And what had I done? Let my ego get in the way. My pride had stopped me from leaning on him when I’d really needed to. Sebastian wouldn’t have thought less of me.

Even if I hadn’t been willing to take his money, I could have gone to him for emotional support. He would have kept me from feeling so alone and helpless during those dark days.

I should just be honest. Admit where I went wrong, state that I’ve learned from it, and try very hard to never make the mistake again.

Booooooorrrrriiiiinnnnngggggg…

That would never work.

He was going to laugh in my face, hop on his private jet, and run off to the open arms of some hot French guy who would never abandon him.

Fuck. No. I needed some grand gesture. Some big thing that would steal Sebastian’s breath away and make him not hurt any longer. Something?—

A coughing, choking sound erupted from the car engine. I clenched my teeth and silently prayed for it to not stall as we cruised past Rookwood and Hyde Park. I was less than five minutes from my exit.So fucking close.

“Come on, baby,” I coaxed. “If you can make it downtown, I swear I’ll give you a nice break. We’ll go for a proper oil change and even take you in for all kinds of service. All the parts will be replaced. I promise. You just gotta get me to Sebastian.”

My poor car sputtered and coughed, her complaining growing louder for every mile that we crossed. She was steadily slowing, but she continued to move as if she were willing to crawl those last few miles to get me to my destination.

Each time we approached an exit, I debated whether to get off, park, and call a rideshare to pick me up, but that would take up even more time that I didn’t have. In the end, I kept going, praying my car would make it.

Sweat poured off me, and I pulled at my tie. We could do it. She could keep moving. She was going to get me to the office one last time.

But she didn’t.

The old car coasted along the Gilbert Avenue exit, coming to a final wheezing stall just at the cross streets of Seventh Street and Broadway. I was still more than four blocks away from my destination. I had no other options. Cincinnati wasn’t one of those cities like New York, where taxis were roving everywhere, waiting for someone to flag them.

Cursing my luck while refusing to be beaten, I snagged an old backpack from the rear seat and stuffed all the paperwork Danielle had given me into it. My phone and keys immediately followed.

And then I fucking ran.

I would not let Sebastian leave town, potentially flying out of my life forever, without him knowing that I loved him.

Yes! That was it. That was exactly what I needed to tell him.

I loved Sebastian Courtland.

I loved his impulsive insanity, his silly grin, and his larger-than-life heart. There wasn’t a thing about him I didn’t love. Even the stuff that drove me crazy. I wanted all of that every day for the rest of my life.

The brutal July heat beat on me, hammering on my head and cooking me in my suit. Sweat soaked into all the fibers, making the pants stick to my legs as I moved. The hard soles of my dress shoes knocked angrily on the sidewalks as I rushed forward, dodging other pedestrians going about their normal lives. As I approached, a few stared at me and laughed at the insane idiot in a suit running like a horde of zombies was on his heels.

They didn’t understand. I’d found the man I wanted to spend my life with, and I could not let him go. Not yet. Not without telling him how much he meant to me.

Two blocks south and four blocks over. It wasn’t that far, but it had been a long time since I’d run, particularly in the summer heat. A stitch formed in my side and sweat slipped into my left eye.

At last, Fountain Square came into view. I wheezed and coughed like my poor old car. It was right at lunchtime, when the square was at its busiest. People were slipping out of the surrounding skyscrapers to hit many of the nearby restaurants and food trucks for something to eat.

I could do this. So close. Nothing was going to stop me.

I charged up a few stairs leading to the square that held the famous Tyler Davidson fountain with her arms outstretched, raining water down on other bronze statues. Not far now.

“Byron Graham is the most honorable, amazing man in Cincinnati.”

My feet almost tripped over themselves at the sound of Sebastian’s voice. But it wasn’t him standing near me and talking. It sounded as if he were coming across loudspeakers.

I turned, trying to spot him. Several other people had also stopped and were pointing at the giant screen on the building across the street.

My picture was on the screen.

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