Page 32 of Stone
Her words hit me like a knife, enough so my heart clenched.
“I’m sorry about the fact we lost touch.” Jesus Christ. That was all I could manage to say to her? How many times had I rehearsed what I’d say if I ever saw her again?
“Are you?” She snapped her head in my direction, finally looking me in the eyes with justified fury. “You made it perfectly clear you didn’t want to see me again. You made no bones about the fact I should forget about you and live my life.”
A speech shoved down my fucking throat.
“I didn’t handle it that way and those weren’t my words.” Ah, fuck. Why the hell had I opened my damn mouth? Now wasn’t the time or the place.
“Yes, you did say exactly that, only you couldn’t find the courage to do so over the phone. At least not really. You sent a letter. What I’d like to know is if you changed your phone number before or after you sent the letter? I mean it’s obvious you had a new girlfriend and wished me a happy life.”
I shook my head. “That’s not what I said. That’s not how it happened, Dani. I was being sent overseas. It wasn’t fair that you should wait for me. All I wanted was for you to live your life and not to wait for me because it wasn’t fair.”
“You don’t remember what you said. Your words all but admitted you had someone else.”
Fuck. I fisted my hand, struggling not to blurt out the truth. That would only hurt her far worse than admitting something thatnever should have been allowed to happen in the first place. “I just wanted what was best for you.”
“You have no idea what was best for me because you didn’t have the decency to ask! So you broke contact, refusing to take my calls then disappearing off the face of the goddamn earth when I went to look for you.”
“I did call you back. Remember that? I left you messages.” Yep, open mouth and insert foot. I was damn good at doing that. “Then I was involved with the SEALs. I couldn’t contact you.”
She jerked to her feet. “You were always a stubborn bastard, Stone. You thought you could control the world, including me. Right? You were just stringing me along. I was just the sweet girl waiting for you at home. You were the big Navy SEAL exploring the world. I was hurt, Stone. You hurt me. I wasn’t even twenty years old at the time. You just blew me off.”
“That’s not what?—”
“I’m not the foolish little girl I was, Stone,” she interrupted. “And honestly? You don’t need to worry about me. I’m not going to fall hopelessly in love with you again. I have a life of my own I intend on going back to. I do appreciate everything you’ve done, but tomorrow, I’m returning to my life. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed.”
“Dani, wait. We need to talk.”
I’ll be damned if she didn’t toss her hair over her shoulders and walk out. What the hell?
CHAPTER 9
Daniella
I’d allowed my rage to get the better of me.
All the rehearsed speeches I’d done over the years, the tears I’d shed and the near breakdowns I’d experienced had been lost in some insane haze the moment I’d laid eyes on Stone. After that, all common sense had spiraled out of control.
However, I wasn’t angry with Stone.
Okay, maybe I was just a little bit. He hadn’t understood how much his letter and phone call had hurt me. Or maybe he hadn’t cared. There were too many obstacles, too many emotions and reminders of the past to be able to think clearly. I’d lashed out because I’d reached the stage of grief where mostly rage had kept me from tumbling into an abyss.
At this point, the ugliness was a bridge over tumultuous water and I needed to forget all about him.
Yet the truth was still there and would never go away, constantly eating at me during every waking hour. I’d never been free of the anguish or the wonder of what would have happened if things had gone differently.
The girl who’d wished for a hero had turned into a woman who knew they didn’t exist. Then Stone had gone and saved my life. Now I could no longer think straight.
I closed the bedroom door, furious with myself as well. For that tiny second, I’d thought there was a chance that what we’d shared could be rekindled. That had been foolish of me. One thing I’d said to him had been true.
I wasn’t that girl any longer.
Nope.
This woman was stronger than she’d allow him to witness. There was no turning back.
That didn’t mean I wouldn’t continue to suffer. Heartache knew no time limit.
