Page 16 of Run, Run Mistletoe
“I can. He loves you and Velvet and he wanted to take care of you and he knew that you wouldn’t let him. So he fixed things. He’s a CEO. That’s what he does.”
“I didn’t ask him to.”
“You wouldn’t have. But he cared so he did. Just give the man a chance.”
Shaking my head, I rest it on my hands. “No. I don’t trust him anymore.”
“Because he helped you?”
“Because he lied to me.”
“To help you and Velvet.”
“You’re not listening,” I huff.
“And you’re not thinking clearly. How are you going to feel if he leaves and never comes back?”
My chest aches and my throat tightens painfully, my eyes shutting on pain like nothing I’ve ever felt. Not even when Donny left me for a younger woman.
My mother sighs. “I know that you’re a proud woman. He knows that too. And he was just trying to make sure that your pride didn’t get you in trouble. He was trying to protect both of you.”
“Funny way of doing it,” I mutter.
She laughs. “He’s a man, honey. Sometimes we have to give them a little grace if we love them. They’re not always wise buthis heart was in the right place. He just wasn’t thinking clearly about how you would feel.”
Eyeing her, I lift my chin. “What if he does something like this again?”
“Depends on if it’s for the right reasons. If it is….forgive him again. He’s a good man.”
Nodding my head, I pick up my phone and text his number.
It takes seconds and then he replies.
“He’s on his way.”
She smiles and pats my shoulder. “I’ll get out of your hair then. Just remember…sometimes good intentions are just that. And you’ve got to let them go.”
Helena grins at me. “Don’t let him get too cozy though. He’s a man and he needs to feel a little bit of fear or he might do it again.”
And they both leave, chattering happily about weddings. I roll my eyes.
“Little early for that,” I mutter.
But in ten minutes I hear the big car pulling up outside and I stand up, drawing in an unsteady breath.
And when I walk outside, my heart leaps when I see him there. Standing with a bunch of flowers behind his back. Not realizing that Val is eating them right out of his hand!
I giggle and his brow lifts. And then he whips around and groans. “Seriously, Val? Why can’t you at least let me get out of the doghouse before you mess things up again?”
I step down, unsteady, breathless. “You think flowers will get you out of the doghouse?”
“I don’t know. But I figured it couldn’t hurt.”
I stand in front of him and fight the need to touch his hand, to let him pull me in to a hug. To feel his warm arms around me, so strong and steady.
“We need to talk.” He nods and we sit down on the step. He grimaces when Val sits at his feet and starts chewing on his shoes.
“Honestly, I’m gonna be lucky if I have anything left after she’s done.”
