Page 139 of Whispered Sins

“Maybe, that’s why. I don’t know how to do this. I haven’t been in a relationship since Kiera and that was all so surface level. I look back and wonder if the years we were together were all just part of one big publicity stunt. We never shared anything reallyreal,you know?”

“Not surprising. It’s Kiera. But you both were young and she was fun. Always up for a good time. It’s what you needed at that time.” Freddy shrugged.

“Heart is different, though.”

“So, are you.”

“How do I get her back?” I asked.

“Well, what have you done in the past?”

I thought for a moment.

“Let me guess,” he started with a shake of his head. “You bought her extravagant gifts.”

“They were for thebaby,” I said defensively.

“Daniel, I know your intentions are pure. But that’s what you’ve always done. Dresses from Bloomingdales. Jewelry from Tiffany’s. Now, apparently cribs from Nordstrom. Different, but still the same.”

“It’s what’s worked.” I shrugged.

“Onotherwomen. You, yourself, just said that Heart is different.”

She was. She really was, and I had just let her get away again.

“So?”

“So, try something different.”

“Like?”

“Oh, I don’t know…why don’t you trytalkingto the girl.”

“She won’t give me the chance.”

“You haven’t tried.”

I thought back to when I would make the drive out to Brooklyn every morning just to possibly have the chance to ride with her back to Manhattan. It had been a risk showing up like that with cold herbal tea in my hand, but she had agreed. Maybe it really was that simple.

“You have to stop trying to buy her, and start trying to earn her,” said Freddy.

“Holy shit,” I said, looking at Freddy in surprise.

His eyes widened. “Thatwaspretty good,” he admitted.

“You’re like Dr. Phil or something. Are you sure you’re in the right profession?”

We both laughed.

Freddy was right, though. I had been going about this whole thing with Heart all wrong.

She wasn’t like the other women I had dated in the past, if you could even call it that. I needed to start treating her differently. That meant actually talking, and not deflecting with sex. That meant showing up, and not sending gifts.

I had to earn her trust back, which I knew wouldn’t be easy, but I had to try. It wasn’t just because she was still pregnant with our baby. I missed her as a person. The past few months had been hell not having her in my life.

The rest of my lunch with Freddy, we enjoyed oysters and steak and lobster. We didn’t talk any more about relationships or Virginia or Heart. We were both tuckered out from matters of the heart. Things we weren’t used to.

Instead, we talked about work and the stock market and the usual things, but the whole while I was thinking about Heart. How I could win her back. The right way. I knew it would take time. Something big. But I was going to do it. I had to.

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