by Wood, Lauren
I swear he’d done this on purpose.
24
Frank
“Frank, I don't know what you have going on with my father, but just because he invited you here, doesn't mean anything. Just because he hired you to run the company, doesn't mean anything to me. I am actually leaving...”
Everything that was coming out of her mouth, I didn't want to hear and the best way to stop it, was to kiss her. It had always been the best way and I did so mid-sentence, so that I didn't have to hear the rest of it. Truthfully, I didn't want to. Nothing that she was going to say was going to come out right.
She pushed me back from her and asked me what I was doing.
“It's the only way that I could get you to stop yelling at me, long enough to listen.”
“So now I'm listening. Now what?”
“Marry me, Lisa.”
She smiled and then scoffed.
“What are you talking about?”
“I'm serious. Marry me, Lisa. I should have asked you to do it ten years ago, instead of breaking up with you. I was so sure that I would be okay, that we’d be okay. I thought that I would find another woman like you, but I didn't realize that you are someone that would never be able to be replaced. I'm sorry for what happened in the past, but I can never be sorry that we have a past together.”
She looked a little out of it and I can't say that I really blamed her all that much. There was a lot going on and even though I knew that I was going to ask her, had planned it out so much better in my head, it just came out.
“I can't marry you, Frank.”
“Why not? You're about to have my baby and we both know that there is an attraction between us. There always has been. And I love you, Lisa. Why wouldn’t you want to get married and start a real family?”
I was stunned that she said no. That hadn’t been the way it went in my head.
“Attraction is not what I'm looking for. It leads to heartache.”
“Then what about love?”
“Love?”
“Yes. I love you and I always have.”
“Then why did you break my heart the way you did? Why did you have to do it in front of everybody? I don’t know if I will ever get over that, Frank.”
“I know, Lisa. I am so sorry I hurt you. I thought I was making it easy.”
“How would that ever be considered easy?”
“I did it that way because I knew that if I did, you would never speak to me again. I thought that was what I wanted, because I was never going to be able to get you out of my mind. The only way to move on and forward, was to make sure that you never talked to me again. I knew that I wouldn’t be strong enough to refuse you.”
“Well, you got your way. I stopped talking to you.”
“I know, and I have been miserable without you. I've thought about you every single day since we broke up.”
She just kind of looked at me and I could tell that she did not know how to respond to that. While she was trying to figure it out, I pulled out the ring that was in my pocket and asked her again. “Will you marry me, Lisa?”
“How do I know that you mean this?”
“Well, I've already asked your dad. He has given me his blessing. He also said if I hurt you again, he will put a contract out on my life.”
I was only half-joking about the last part.
“You asked dad if you could marry me?”
I agreed and that seemed to get through to her a little bit. She just needed to understand that I wasn’t joking. I loved her and I think I always had. I knew that there was never going to be another woman that I loved like I did Lisa. Not in a million years.
“I don't know what to say.”
“Just say yes. We both know that this is what is supposed to happen. We did not just get back together for nothing.”
“I know how you are, Frank. You have had more girlfriends than anybody else that I know. Are you sure you think you can give it all up?”
I just kind of shook my head. “I have waited all this time to get back together with you. I am one hundred percent sure that I never want to live another day without you. That is what I know for sure.”
I waited for her to answer. I was actually on pins and needles waiting. She could easily tell me no, but I didn't even want to think about it because I had no idea what I would do then. All my eggs were in one basket. She was carrying my child and I had to make this work. This was the family that I said I wanted but never knew if I would actually get it. When I thought about having a family, it was always with Lisa. I never was able to see it with anybody else. All I had to do was get her to agree.
She still seemed indecisive, so I pulled her in for another kiss. I was hoping that if my words would not get through to her, then maybe my passion would. I knew that the only way I was going to be able to breathe again was to know that she was going to give us a chance.
When I pulled back from another kiss, she had this wide-eyed look and I was hoping that it was a good sign. She had need in her eyes and I knew the same was present on my face. All she had to do was agree and she would make me the happiest man.
“I can't believe this is happening. I keep thinking that I’m going to wake up in my bed and this will have all been a dream.”
“It’s not a dream. I can't believe that I waited this long. I should have tracked you down when you first took off. I knew that you left because of me. I convinced myself that I was going to be okay without you, but I really had no idea how hard it was going to be. How hard it has been.
“I just don't want to get hurt again, Frank. Last time about killed me and I honestly don't think I can do it again.”
“I will never hurt you again, I promise you. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. Then one day, you’ll be able to forget.”
I thought that she was going to tell me no. I was literally holding my breath, waiting for her to answer and then she finally agreed. It took me a minute to actually hear the words. I was just so sure that it was going to be no. “Are you serious?”
She agreed, and I pulled her in for a big hug and kiss. I really had not thought that this would happen. I was so convinced that no matter what, she was never going to be mine. Now she was mine and even as I knew that I was holding her too tight, I couldn’t let her go. The truth was, that I didn't want to. Ever. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake, ever again.
When I finally pulled back away from her, I could see that there was a tear in her eyes.
“Why are you crying?”
“I don't know, Frank. This is just, I don't know.”
I dragged her back in for another hug and then another long lingering kiss before the porch light turned off. That was clear indication that we needed to go in for dinner. We had good news to spread around and for one reason or another, her father was going to be happy about it too. He was now in my corner, even if I didn't understand why.
“Come on, Lisa, we need to tell your folks the good news.”
She just kind of shook her head and told me she could not believe that this was happening.
“It is happening and everything I promised is true. I am never going to make you question my intentions again. You will never live another day wondering what I feel for you. I promise that you’ll always know.”
25
Lisa
“This is quite a party, Lisa. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
I smiled at Angie. “You’re just going to have to wait like everyone else.”
She pouted for a moment and I could see that she was eying me, trying to figure out what the big news was. Father had insisted that we have this big, lavish party, but I wasn’t sure what he was announcing. I liked to believe that he was going to announce the engagement between me and Frank, maybe the baby. I wasn’t really sure, because a lot had been happening lately. It felt like life was moving a mile a minute, forcing me not to blink. I didn’t want to miss anything.
“Come on, you can at least giv
e me a little hint.”
I should have told her. I was dying to in one way. In the other, I knew that she was going to give me a hard time about being with Frank. Not only was I with him, but I was marrying him and pregnant. She wasn’t going to take it well and I had a feeling that she was going to corner him and threaten him before the day was done.
“You’ll just have to find out when everyone else does. I really don’t know what father is doing. I think I know, but you know how he is.”
She stuck her lip out dramatically and made me laugh. I was nervous, though I tried not to show it. Everyone I knew was here at the party. When I saw my dad making his way to the stage that was setup in the corner, I was really worried then. What was all of this about?
He had a microphone and people were already getting quiet before he started to clink his glass with a butter knife.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I want to thank you all for coming to share in our family’s good news. As you all know, I’m getting older and in these final years, I’ve came to realize that the only thing that matters is family. So I am thankful that I can share this all with you, my friends and family.”
The way he was talking, I was worried that he was going to say next he was dying. What did he mean, final years? The knot of anxiety was growing by the minute and I wished that Frank was around. I needed his support, more so now, than ever before.
“We’ve had some good news come to our home recently. My only daughter Lisa, has recently gotten engaged. Frank is a tremendous man, and I wish I would have seen it before. He loves her, like I love my wife. I can see it in the way he looks at Lisa. Not just that, I know that he will be a good father. And soon.”
There was a murmur in the people and I felt eyes on me. None were as intense as Angie’s. I knew what she was thinking, I really did. She was thinking that I was an idiot, so I didn’t even look at her. Not even when she gasped about the baby part. I had a lot of explaining to do later.
“Not only that, as you can imagine with my age, it’s time for me to step down from the company. It wasn’t hard to find a replacement though. I knew this year, that it would be my last.”
Another shock from the audience and I steeled myself for what came next, or rather, whose name was going to be next. When I saw Frank get motioned up on stage, I knew that this wasn’t what I wanted to see. I was going to be happy for Frank, but it was still going to sting. Bad.
“Lisa, come up here please, darling. I feel strange talking to you from all the way over there.”
I was afraid this was going to be another humiliation. I didn’t want to go, but everyone was looking at me and I didn’t have a choice. It felt like that break-up with Frank, all over again. Couldn’t he just get it out.
I got to the stage and he hugged me next to him. I felt like a prop, until… I didn’t and I understood why I was up there.
“My daughter Lisa has worked under me for almost a decade, learning everything I could teach her and more. She has done her job with grace and a business sense that I admire. She is always coming up with unique ways to solve our problems. She never disappoints, so of course, there is no one else in the world that I would like to run my company and to keep our legacy alive, more than my own daughter. As of today, I will be stepping down, and Lisa will be the new president of the company.”
I was in shock. This was too much. He turned to me and told me that he knew I was going to make him proud, just like I did every day. He hugged me to him and I was still unable to speak. Had that really just happened?
There was applause and then I felt Frank’s hands on me. I could tell that he wasn’t surprised by the news.
“How long did you know?”
“Since I started there. It was never a secret.”
He smiled and pulled me close before we left the stage and I was left wondering what had just happened. How had I not seen this coming?
“I thought that he was going to leave it with you?”
“Never was on the agenda, but he didn’t want me to tell you and ruin the surprise.”
“Do you know how many times I cursed you because of it?”
He chuckled. “I have always loved that dirty mouth and your spirit. I knew you would find out soon enough.”
“So you let me hate you?”
“I have big shoulders, Lisa. I can take it.”
He kissed me and I was lost for a moment, before I heard more announcements that dinner was served. It was quite an eventful night, but I still found myself wanting to steal away from the rest. I had a fiancée that was in need of some attention.
We found an empty room upstairs at my parents’ house and I was more than ready when he shut the door and told me to strip. I was already one step ahead, pulling my skirt up and bending over. “How’s that?”
He moved towards me with dark need in his eyes. “Perfect, Lisa. Just perfect.”
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Lauren Wood
Also by Lauren Wood
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