Page 62 of Meant to Be
“You’re the one that brought it up.”
“Alright. I know that your families thought you and Sydney should end up together. I put a wrench in that, until her parents convinced her otherwise. Even then you couldn’t seal the deal. But you keep trying. After her last attack, she moved in with you so you could care for her—”
“Wait! You think I attacked her in New York so I could take care of her?”
“It nearly worked, didn’t it? She was in your home.” Mitch wanted to ask if she was in his bed but didn’t want to know the answer.
“But instead of making her see she should be with you, the incident had her reflecting on her life and what had happened with me. She moved to Charlotte Tavern, ruining your plans, so you tried again.” Mitch stopped as a new idea came to him “But this time it wasn’t about getting her back. This time you wanted to punish her. Kill her. You nearly did, only it was the wrong woman.”
Patrick’s head tilted to the side. If Mitch’s comments made him nervous, he didn’t show it. “Does she have a choice? She gave me the impression you weren’t interested. At least not in a relationship.” Patrick stiffened. “But you’re attracted to her. Is she now just another notch on your bedpost?” He bit out the words in disgust.
Not yet. He shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to think about Sydney naked.
“It doesn’t matter what’s going on with Sydney and me. What matters is that she’s still not with you. That must irk you.”
Patrick rolled his shoulders. “I’m over it.”
Mitch laughed derisively. There was no getting over Sydney. That much he knew.
“That’s what I was doing yesterday.”
“Driving around getting over Sydney?”
He nodded. “Look. I care for her and will always care for her. She and I could be happy, but she wants more. She wants passion, romance, and true love. She believes she had it with you, although I don’t think that’s true.”
“Why not?” Mitch scowled. What he’d had with Sydney had been special.
“First, you were both young, not fully developed. Especially you. Second, if it were the great love poets and romance authors write about, you’d still be together.”
Mitch tried to keep his face impassive and wiggled his fingers to keep them from forming into fists so Patrick wouldn’t know how much his words stuck in his craw. “So you don’t believe in great love. You’re willing to ‘settle’ with Sydney.”
“I don’t believe in fairy tales. A great marriage is about respect and trust and friendship. Sydney and I have that. But I see now she wants what I can’t give her. So, I took some time to process that and move on.”
“Process that?” He made it sound like paperwork.
“Then I came back here. Had dinner and spent the evening with a colleague.” Patrick’s tone suggested he and Doctor Faye engaged in more than dinner.
“Just like that. You’ve forgotten Sydney by spending the night in the arms of another woman.”
“Why’s that hard to believe? It’s the method you use.”
Mitch cursed under his breath. “Did it work?”
Patrick sat back, his eyes scrutinizing Mitch. “You’re still in love with her.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Yes. It worked for me. But I can see it doesn’t for you.”
Mitch didn’t believe him. He knew firsthand that it didn’t matter how many women there were, none were like Sydney.
“Are you really going to continue to punish her when it’s clear you’re not over her? Or is it something more? Perhaps your experience being a soldier has altered your outlook on life? Made you less giving of yourself.”
Mitch knew Patrick’s questions had veered into a head-shrinking session. Mitch had no problem with therapy. He’d certainly had his share of it before his discharge and even a little bit once he returned to Charlotte Tavern. But while therapy helped him cope, it didn’t fix anything. It didn’t change the fact that he and Brian were betrayed by their commanding officer. It didn’t change the fact that his best friend died in his arms in the middle of a desert a million miles from home. And it certainly didn’t change the fact that Sydney had allowed herself to be persuaded out of their happily ever after.
He wasn’t about to share his demons with Patrick. “Do you know of anyone who would target Sydney?”
Patrick gave him another long analyzing stare then shrugged. “No one specific. I told you about Jagger.”
