Page 50 of Perfect Assumption
But no luck. Ward doesn’t take the gambit. Instead, he plows on. “Second, I scared you. I deeply apologize for that.”
I open my mouth, but nothing more than a squeak comes out.
“I mean it, Angie. I am truly sorry. I didn’t intend to cause you fear.”
My head spins as his word ricochets inside.Fear, fear, fear.I lean my head back, uncaring anymore of hurting leather or my hair. “Fear is exhausting.”
“Yes, I imagine it is.”
After a few moments of silence, I manage to get out a “Thank you.” I don’t know what to do with his apology other than say that. My head spins as Ward apologized for something that he could have brushed off as playacting as part of our roles. Yet, I couldn’t get a real apology for what truly happened. I discreetly dab at wetness on my face. “Most people don’t apologize.”
His eyes cut over to me, and there’s something in them I can’t interpret. But his jaw clenches harder. His hands tighten on the steering wheel. “I never intended to…I hope you believe me when I say I’m not the kind of man who would hurt a woman. Any man—and I use the word loosely—who harms a woman should be shot.” His eyes flick over.
When I can finally form words, I whisper, “You’re guessing.”
“And you’re not denying it.”
Damnit. “It’s…I don’t…” My shallow breaths are so close together they’re almost causing me to hyperventilate. Finally, I manage, “You can’t know.”
“I do now.” If anything, that causes his hands to tighten further. This angry, almost violent contradiction to his previous words soothes me. It reminds me of the reaction my grandfather had when he found out the full truth of the story. Ward Burke, a man who I always thought was lost in his own way, seems to be more righteous than I originally thought. I guess we both made the wrong assumptions about each other.
“Ward?”
“Yes?”
“I think you’re going to snap your steering wheel in half.” That drags a reluctant smile from his lips just as we pull up at Carys’s building. Ward double-parks before jumping out and opening my door. After helping me out and escorting me inside, I blurt out, “You said there were three things.”
“I did, didn’t I?”
“What is it?” I hold my breath as I ask.
He keeps a respectful distance but leans just his head in. “I wasn’t ignoring you. I was ignoring what I was feeling. There’s no possible way to ignore you—” He leans back before tacking on the nickname Louie called me earlier. “—Angel.”
The warmth that steals through me frightens me. I take a step back and press the button for the elevator. The doors open behind me.
“Angie?”
“Yes?”
He holds out his hand. In it is my cell phone. “I think you might want this? Though honestly, it might be time for an upgrade.”
My cheeks flame for multiple reasons. “Thanks for remembering.”
His arm drops to his side. “I guess that’s it. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.”
“See you then.” Where maybe if I go back to hiding in a mask on the outside, I can somehow live on the inside. I press the button for the right floor, and finally I’m alone and able to absorb everything that happened.
There was so much good that happened—the shopping, Carys, and the club, well, parts of it—but does it outweigh the fear I felt for that instant? I reach for my phone to ping Sula when I groan aloud. “I can’t tell her this.”
“Can’t tell who what?” comes a voice from the side.
“Oh, my God!” I shriek. Standing at the elevator entrance is Carys. She holds up her cell.
“Ward called. He said you might be upset over something that happened tonight.”
I open my mouth to deny it, but nothing can stop the fresh tear that tracks down my cheek. I’m grateful I don’t have to say anything to Carys about my past because she already knows it. Prior to my employment background investigation, I gave her a full disclosure of the information any investigation agency would dredge up.
Carys wraps her arms around me and just holds on. And for a few minutes, I absorb the strength in her tiny body. “I wish you knew how remarkable you are, Angie. I don’t know how you’ve managed to stay standing amid the lies.”
