Page 58 of The Night Before Christmas
Adam took another sip of coffee and shifted in his chair.
He’d better not be thinking about how much it’s worth.
‘What are you doing here, Adam? I honestly can’t imagine what else there is to say.’
He took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry for turning up like that. Please forgive me for hijacking your holiday.’
Felicity sat back and crossed her arms.
‘I know how it looks but I genuinely do have to see a client tomorrow… honest. You can come with me if you don’t believe me. You’d really like his place.’
He paused.
‘But also… I had to see you.’
There it is.
‘Why? What else is there to say, Adam? Seriously.’
‘Well for starters, sorry. I’m so sorry for what I did. I know I’ve buggered everything up.’
‘Yes, you have.’
‘The truth is, Felicity…’
On reflex, Felicity took a bite of fruit slice. She chewed frantically without tasting.
Talk about emotional eating.
‘What is the truth?’ she said, mouth full.
Adam looked at her for a long moment. ‘The truth is, I just don’t think I can live without you.’
She stared at him. Waited. Chewed. Swallowed. Waited some more. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears, but she couldn’t tell if it was with anticipation or fury.
‘Please… give me another chance, Felicity,’ he blurted out suddenly, reaching for her hand across the little table. ‘I can be better; you make me better. I’m utterly crap without you, you of all people must know that.’
Felicity looked at his face, at his hand holding hers and she took a deep, determined breath. This man she had known so well, for so long. This man, who had steered her through so many choppy seas. This man, whose heart she broke and who broke hers right back.
‘I… I’m not sure I can–’
He broke in, his face serious, brow furrowed. ‘You can… it’s easy. Just give me a chance.’
‘I was going to say, I’m not sure I can trust you. Seriously. How could I ever trust you?’
Tears welled in her eyes out of nowhere, just when she was trying to keep it together.
Adam looked like he was about to deflate from the inside.
Say something else.
‘Okay. Fine. Here’s how it is. I can’t believe I spent all that time feeling guilty for kicking you out on Christmas Day. Three years, Adam! I thought there was something wrong with me, like, pathologically!’
‘I’m so sorry, Felicity. But it wasn’t exactly a bed of roses for me either after you left. I was a wreck. I had to sleep in my car, for God’s sake.’ He paused. ‘I guess I deserved it.’
‘You think?’
Adam took his hand from hers and drained his coffee cup.
