Page 17 of Reclaiming his Honor
She shrugged. “We all make mistakes.”
He reached for her hand, and she gave it to him. “Could it be that easy, Ellie? Can you give me another chance, just like that?”
She squeezed his hand and released it, lowering her eyes. “It’s complicated. I’m engaged to marry Turner.”
“But you didn’t know I’d show up at the eleventh hour and tell you I still love you.”
Her eyes shot to his. “Do you? Still love me?”
The fifty-thousand-dollar question. The only thing that mattered in the whole damn world.
“Would I be here if I didn’t? You are the only woman I’ve ever loved, and if you give me the chance, I promise I’ll make things good between us again. Better than they were the last time, when I came home from my tour. I was a different man then. Fucked up. Broken. But I’mmeagain, Ellie. If you give me a chance, I’ll show you exactly who I am.”
Her chin puckered, and he knew she was trying not to cry. “I’m scared.”
“Me, too.”
She shook her head. “I have to think about it.”
“Take all the time you need.”
She stood up and walked away, leaving Mac alone at the table.
CHAPTER11
Ellie squeezed her temples. If breakfast had been a battle, lunch was the war.
Turner had invited Ellie, Callie, and Lewis to a posh restaurant atop a ritzy hotel, with a view of the ocean and a menu in French. While Ellie could read it, Lewis and Callie could not, leaving Ellie to translate to the two people who clearly didn’t want to be there.
Callie’s feelings were unsurprising to her mother. The girl had never cared much for Turner and certainly not for pretension, though this luncheon was rich in them both. But Lewis typically liked Turner’s company, and the fact that someone else was paying the tab. Today, however, Lewis was sullen and withdrawn. He was drinking sweet tea, and Ellie wasn’t sure if that was the cause of his bad mood or simply an indicator of it.
“Well, this is certainly a beautiful view,” said Ellie, desperate for some polite conversation to fill the quiet and clearly uncomfortable silence.
Turner smiled. “I’m glad you like it. The concierge at the hotel assured me it was the best in town.”
It was so like him to insist on the best restaurant, the best table, the best everything—though he never seemed to notice she and the kids would be happier in a diner with a grilled cheese sandwich and a Coke. And while she had no problem voicing her displeasure with Mac, disagreeing with Turner was far more difficult. He liked to be right, whereas Mac wanted her to be happy.
“I’m so glad Dad came to the wedding,” said Callie, and Ellie was keenly aware of Turner’s displeasure with her daughter’s topic of choice.
When did I become so concerned with upsetting Turner?
She hadn’t noticed the change, so subtle was her deference to his feelings over time. But yes, if she was being honest with herself, she usually did what she had to do to keep Turner happy. She could see now, even accepting his proposal of marriage had been a way to placate him. It was as if she’d suddenly realized she’d become a doormat, determined to avoid confrontation at all costs.
But why?
That wasn’t who she was, it wasn’t how she behaved. But as soon as she posed the question, she knew the answer. Because Turner would get angry, and after her tumultuous relationship with Mac, she was dedicated to keeping the peace—if only for her children’s sake.
“The concierge said the crawfish is amazing,” Turner said. “The best you can find in the state.”
“That’s wonderful,” she mumbled, absorbed in her thoughts. She and Mac used to argue regularly. More important, she’d enjoyed their sparring. It had helped them grow as a couple, to challenge each other, to say what was on their minds. And the make-up sex had been some of the best sex of their relationship.
She looked at Turner. “We don’t fight.”
“Excuse me?” he looked at her quizzically, his blue eyes betraying a touch of annoyance.
She knew why. She was supposed to comment on how beautiful the view was from up here, how considerate of him it was to book such an incredible restaurant. But today, she didn’t care.She never cared.And today she wanted to talk about what she wanted to talk about. “We don’t fight. I never disagree with you.”
Callie and Lewis shifted their eyes from their mother to Turner and back again.
