Page 80 of To Believe In You
His frown cut deeper.
She didn’t understand. Wasn’t forgiveness exactly what he’d asked for? Maybe he didn’t even know what he wanted. Wouldn’t know it until he heard it. A vote of confidence couldn’t hurt. “The child will forgive you, too, because now that you know about him or her, I know you’ll do the right thing—”
“Do you?” His eyes had turned cold.
Where had she gone so wrong? She hadn’t experienced this level of misunderstanding since … since Shane. Her stomach clenched against the blow of the realization.
“Matt.” She rose to approach him.
He lifted his arm, and she stopped. His left hand, the one that bore the word hate, pointed toward the door. “I don’t have the energy for this now. You got what you came for. Let’s call it a night.”
Her breath turned ragged. “I thought you were worried about losing me over this.”
His jaw pulsed again. “I was always going to lose you over something.”
“I want to be supportive.”
He walked ahead of her to the door, opened it, and went to his car.
He must intend to follow her home.
Sunday’s possible sighting of Shane had made her grateful for Tim’s escort to and from work, and when she had asked the manager if she could come meet Matt after his shift, Tim had insisted he would come out and follow her into Lakeshore.
The precautions might be overkill—had she seen Shane, or had paranoia gotten the better of her?—but she appreciated not having to navigate the shadowy parking area alone. She got in her car and set off, and Matt tailed her. His car idled at the end of the drive until she waved to him from the living room window. At the signal she’d made it in, he disappeared into the night.
When she’d chosen to meet him tonight, she’d expected the truth to bring them closer together. Instead, it might just break them.
22
Matt didn’t remember hitting snooze, but he must have. Twice. When he’d finally become conscious enough to note the time, he only had one minute before his scheduled shift at the home improvement store. He jumped into action but was already four minutes late before he entered the kitchen. The aroma of coffee promised he could grab a cup to go. He glanced to where Tim sat at the peninsula with a mug and his tablet.
Each time Matt had seen Tim yesterday, the man had shrunk back like a dog afraid of being kicked. His morning routine involved catching up on the news, but at Matt’s entrance, he pushed the device away, a cringe haunting his features.
Matt slowed his step. Arriving fifteen minutes late couldn’t be much worse than ten. Either way, Tim’s peace of mind was worth Russ’s disapproval. “I’m not mad at you.”
Tim’s frown deepened, and he seemed to search for something to say.
Matt took his travel mug from the drying rack and poured some coffee. As he twisted the lid on, he turned toward the snack bar. “I forgive you. I said it, and I meant it.”
“Yeah, but at the time, you looked like I’d just skewered you with a butcher knife.” Tim’s upper lip lifted. “Still kind of do.”
“I’m angry with myself, not you.”
Tim crossed his arms on the counter and leaned against his elbows. “Holding Issy when she was born? Highlight of my life.” His worried eyes flicked to Matt, then away. “You missed that.”
“You don’t know that I would’ve been there, even if I’d known.” The band had traveled constantly back then, and nine months after Nadia left, he hadn’t been sober often.
Tim reclaimed his coffee and drew himself up straighter on the stool. “You and Lina have a nice chat?”
More of Matt’s shock had worn off since yesterday, but in its place, his fatigue had multiplied. Maybe he should call in to Key of Hope. A nap would do him far more good than digging a deeper hole with Lina.
“She’s angry?” Tim asked.
She was something all right. Maybe not angry. Determined was more like it. Determined to fix Matt’s mess, as though a plan could erase all the pain. “I didn’t want to hash out every possible scenario with her.”
“Ah.”
“It’s not worth theorizing until I talk to Nadia.”
