Page 104 of Fairy Tale Lies
“I’m so fucking confused. She works for me, runs the office. Nothing more.”
Hope, like a spring seedling, took root in her chest. He’d never lied before, yet the image of Macy’s intimate hands on Jacob was forever burned into Greta’s mind. “From what I witnessed, she’s taking care of more than your paperwork.”
“Listen,” he took her hands in his, “I have no idea what youthoughtyou saw. I promise you, I am not dating Macy. I’m not sleeping with her.”
“Then why was she hanging on you like a wet blanket?” Greta shouted, trying to pull from his grasp.
It didn’t work. He held tight. “You were right. She did want more than a business card. And she isn’t shy about letting me know what she wants. But I swear to you nothing is going on between us.”
“If you knew, why hire her? Why keep her?”
They were getting way off topic. She didn’t care. She wanted answers. The days of holding in questions and anger were over. Confrontation didn’t bother Greta anymore.
“I needed an office assistant, and she needed a job. I had no idea she was going to turn into Clarence Thomas.” Jacob grinned ruefully.
Greta couldn’t help returning the smile, though it was weak. “The analogy doesn’t quite work since you’re the boss. And,” she leaned back, raising both eyebrows and studying him. “Why not fire her after she made her intentions known?”
“I’m swamped. I don’t have time to find a new assistant. And sexual harassment aside, she’s good at her job.”
“Fine. Whatever.” Greta waved a hand, dismissing Macy and Jacob’s problems with her. “If you wanted me back so desperately, why haven’t you contacted me? Weeks have passed, and you’ve survived fine without me. Now you’ve seen me tonight, and what, you nowhaveto have me back?”
Jacob laughed a harsh bark without any joy. “It killed me to drive away on New Year’s. I had my head in my ass and was convinced we were better off apart. By the time I realized my mistake, you’d vanished.”
Vanished?
“I tried to call your cell. Your phone was disconnected. I went to your apartment. Someone else was living there. That’s why I’m here tonight.”
“Oh,” Greta breathed. Without meaning to, she had made herself rather difficult to find. “After graduating, I found a job in Detroit and moved. I broke my cell shortly after our breakup. It fell from my purse, and I didn’t know until I heard a crunch under my tires. I went with a different company, and I had to get a new number—Wait,” she cut herself off when his last words registered. “What do you mean, ‘that’s why I’m here’?”
“When Miguel and Susan returned from a vacation in Mexico, they call me back. Susan got ahold of your sister, and she promised me you’d be here tonight.” Jacob scowled at the club’s door. “Though, they hadn’t mentioned you coming here with a guy.”
“Those interfering troublemakers,” Greta muttered. No wonder they’d been adamant about tonight.
“Greta,” Jacob grasped her chin gently and didn’t speak until her gaze met his. “I wish I could turn back the clock. I can’t. All I can do is love you and promise never to leave your side again. I’ll do whatever it takes to get back your trust and love.”
She tried to shake loose from his hold, overwhelmed. Wanting to believe him yet finding it difficult.
His hand dropped. Not his gaze. That was unwavering and a little desperate. “When I first met you and didn’t call, something was off. Like I was missing out. This time my heart was hollow, and I knew who’d taken it. You didn’t steal it. You became my heart and soul. Rescue me from this hell. Forgive me. Give us another chance.”
His words were a balm to her broken heart, but it wasn’t enough. He hadn’t merely scraped and bruised her. He’d left her with a gaping wound. Some hurts couldn’t heal.
“I want to,” she whispered, brushing at her tears, no longer trying to keep them from falling. “I even understand your earlier anger. It was justifiable. The part I have trouble moving past is how you handled it. You have this habit of making snap decisions. You decided we are doomed, and without giving me any choice in the matter, you ended us. You believe your decisions are infallible, and therefore my opinions and emotions don’t count.”
He reached for her, shaking his head. “No. Not true.”
She cut him off. “Yes, it is. You did it when we first met. You decided we were ill-matched and never called. And fine, to be fair, I didn’t call you either. However, by New Year’s, we were much more, yet you decided on your own our love wasn’t strong enough to overcome our problems. Without even giving me a chance to talk with you, to argue with you, you left.”
She crossed her arms and rubbed them. Though, her heart was cold and not her skin. “Jacob, life’s full of difficulties and frustrations. How do I know you won’t do this again, without even talking to me, decide we’re doomed?”
“Greta, we’ve both made mistakes. We buried our problems and let them fester. I won’t let that happen again. I know life isn’t perfect, but there’s no denying we’re right for each other. It’s simple.”
Oh, if only that were true.
Nearly every part of her screamed for her to take him back, to let him envelop her in his warm embrace. His love.
One tiny, wounded whisper made it impossible.
“Except, it’s not. At least not for me. I’m scared, Jacob. I’ve just begun to somewhat heal, feel whole again. I don’t ever want to experience pain like that again. I need to protect myself. From you.”
