hadn’t answered nor had she returned any of his calls. His pleading voice had been hard to ignore
but she needed time to herself. Time to sort out her feelings, her thoughts.
After speaking to Tasha a few times she was much more rational. She no longer thought he
was cheating on her. Like her sister pointed out, he wasn’t that sort of person. He valued her too
much to do something so stupid.
Deep down, she had known Tasha was right before her sister had been kind enough to point
it out to her. The issue was what being in love with Dane meant. It was about more than just being
in love and him loving her back. Being in love with him meant she cared for him more than she had
for any other man.
Seeing him sitting across the table from Marie brought up so many bad memories from her
break up with Erwin. Her first thought had been what had she done to make him want to spend
time in the company of his ex. What terrified her even more was she didn’t want to lose Dane.
Bayleigh wanted him more than anything else she ever wanted, including her favorite Cabbage Patch
Doll or Hot Pink Barbie bike with the matching streamers. She had cried and begged for weeks for
those toys. The fact that she wanted Dane on that level made her heart race.
“Bayleigh, are you sure you feel okay enough to be here?”
Bayleigh looked up at Giselle, taking in her friends’ concerned expression and smiled. “No
I’m not. But I have been in the house all week and needed to get out. I could find no better excuse
than my friends and sushi.”
Deidre gave her a sympathetic smile. “You have to talk to Dane sometime, Bayleigh.”
Lea nodded her agreement. “Avoidance isn’t going to help you.”
Bayleigh shook her head. “I’m not avoiding him. I just need more time to figure this all out.”
Deidre sighed. “Yeah, well we all know that isn’t true. You just need to know that he isn’t
going to wait forever, Bayleigh. Dane has already waited a long time. His patience is bound to wear
out at some point.”
Bayleigh frowned as her friend said the words she didn’t want to hear. They were true but it
didn’t make them any easier to accept. The corners of her mouth tilted up, slightly. “I will talk to
Dane soon. I promise.”
Bayleigh was surprised when they didn’t respond. Instead they were looking at her with
amused expressions.
“When?”
Bayleigh shrieked. The question hadn’t come from any of her friends. Instead it came from
behind her. She turned around slowly. Her racing heart began to pound. “Dane? What are you doing
here?”
He looked horrible to say the least. His eyes were drawn, guarded. Dane hadn’t shaved and
he looked exhausted. Then again, she wasn’t fairing any better herself. Giselle had offered to drive
her to the hospital tonight when she showed up.
“I’m here to see you. I stopped by your place and your car was gone so I took a chance
coming here.”
She had considered skipping dinner, but she wanted sushi and to spend time with her
friends. Try to take her mind off Dane. The plan hadn’t worked. Right now she was willing to say it
had backfired. Seeing him hear like this made her realize she still wasn’t ready to face him. “I didn’t
want to talk.”
“I’m really hoping you’re ready to talk now.”
Bayleigh heard the same pleading note in his voice that she listened to countless times over
her answering machine. Dane gave a wary look and she sighed. It was time to face the inevitable.
“Okay.”
His expression lightened some but he was still guarded. “Will you come with me?”
She turned back to her friends who were nodding their approval. “Yes,” she told him before
reaching for her purse. Dane stopped her when she reached for her wallet. He pulled enough bills
out of his own to cover her dinner, also leaving a nice tip.
Bayleigh didn’t argue, instead letting him pull her to her feet. Hugging her friends, she told
them ‘goodnight’ with the promise to call each of them later. She allowed Dane to take her hand and
lead her out of Zenkichi’s. He surprised her when he didn’t take her to his car, instead leading her a
few doors down to a café.
It was one of the super fancy coffee shops where you were actually served your coffee,
instead of waiting at a counter for it. Bayleigh was thankful when he pulled her toward a private
booth in the back. His hands brushed the small of her back when he slid into the booth, beckoning
for her to follow him. Dane surprised her by insisting that she sit next to him, not across from him.
Like his body craved the closeness hers had missed all week.
The waitress came up to their table. She ordered a regular coffee with cream and sugar. He
asked for the same. Now that she was sitting in such close proximity to him, she felt more fatigued
than she had all week. There was an awkward silence until the waitress returned with their coffee,
cream and sugar on the side. It gave her something to do, at least for a few seconds.
“I’ve missed you.”
The anxiety she felt seemed to melt from her body at his heartfelt words. “I missed you
too,” she murmured.
Her relaxed state didn’t last long.
“I would also like to point out that I thought we have enough of a solid friendship where
you would never doubt me in such a way.”
Bayleigh sighed softly. “I don’t want to argue, Dane. I know you aren’t cheating on me with
Marie.”
Dane studied her with guarded eyes. “How long did it take you to figure it out? And once
you did, why didn’t you call me?”
She squirmed in her seat. He was backing her into an uncomfortable, tight corner. “I said I
don’t want to argue with you, Dane.”
His mouth tightened into a grim line. “We aren’t arguing.”
“Then what are we doing?”
His expression became serious. “We are talking. Communicating about our problem. Or at
least I’m trying to.”
Bayleigh shrugged, knowing they would start out talking, but this was bound to become an
argument with the topic he had chosen. “Then talk.”
His eyebrows rose. “Are you going to listen or are you going to shut down like you normally
do?”
Bayleigh looked around in embarrassment, looking to see if anyone had heard him, before
turning her attention back to him. “Don’t humiliate me, Dane. I have had enough of that in this
lifetime.”
His expression softened. “I’m sorry, Bayleigh. I didn’t come here to embarrass you and I’m
sorry if I did.”
She waved him off. “It’s okay. You’re partly right. I shouldn’t have played the avoidance
game. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be waiting on a return call that never comes.”
Dane reached for her hand. He seemed to know how much the admission cost her.
“I thought you were blowing me off, Bayleigh. In a way—”
“Bayleigh?”
Her heart plummeted at the sound of the voice calling her name. Just when she thought this
week couldn’t get any worse. Bayleigh wanted to find the nearest hole and crawl in. Forcing her gaze
from Dane, she turned and looked up, staring into the incredulous expression of her ex.
“Hello, Erwin,” she said, her voice lacking the emotion she felt.
“What are you doing here?”
“Meeting a colleague for coffee. Good Lord, Bayleigh, what have you been doing? You look
terrible.”
His disapproving gaze took her appearance in. She tried not to flinch, knowing how
unkempt she looked. Tonight she hadn’t bothered with any make-up. Her hair was pulled back into
a ponytail, her attire consisted of a T-shirt and jeans. She definitely had better days. Still she wasn’t
going to let him get under her skin tonight.
“Thank you, Erwin. You always did have a way of making me feel special,” she replied
sarcastically.
He raised an immaculate brow in her direction. “Would you prefer I lie to you?”
Bayleigh shrugged in a careless manner. One much more casual than she felt. “Why not?
You did it the entire time we were together.”
A look of displeasure spread across his face. “Actually, it seems I was more right than you
care to admit.”
Erwin’s cold gaze finally drifted over to Dane in what she assumed was acknowledgement.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
“Nice to see you again, Dane, although I can’t say I’m surprised. You always seemed to bring
out the best in her.”
The underlying nastiness in Erwin’s tone couldn’t be missed and she felt Dane stiffen beside
her. This was not the way she wanted this to happen. Not here. Not now.
“What is that supposed to mean,” Dane asked, the anger in his tone barely veiled.
Erwin stuck his free hand in his pocket. “Just that Bayleigh was so frigid and inadequate with
me, it always left me wondering if you were getting all of the good parts.”
Erwin’s barb hit its mark. Bayleigh couldn’t focus on the anger roaring through her with
Dane at her side.
“You son of a—”
“Dane, no,” Bayleigh leaned against him as he struggled to get out of the booth. Erwin stood
there in his cocky stance like Dane wouldn’t take him down.
If only he knew.
Bayleigh was tempted to let Dane out of the booth to lay Erwin out. He deserved it.
However this wasn’t private property like the party and Erwin hadn’t hit Dane first. If she let Dane
have his way he would go to jail tonight.
“Let me out of this booth, Bayleigh. I should have kicked his ass a long time ago.”
She turned to Dane with a look of pleading. “He isn’t worth it, Dane. Please don’t.”
The waitress must have picked up on the tension at the table and rushed over. “Is everything
okay? Is this man bothering you?”
Bayleigh almost wilted in relief. “Yes he is.”
The waitress turned to Erwin. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask to you leave or I will have to
call the police.”
Erwin checked his watch before giving all of them a look of contempt. “No need to strain
yourself. It was nice seeing you again, Dane, you as well, Bayleigh. I needed a reminder of the reason
why you weren’t good enough to be my woman.”
Bayleigh felt Dane stiffen behind her again but the waitress stepped in. It was a good thing
since Bayleigh needed to focus on holding back her tears.
“That’s enough, sir. I will see you out.”
Erwin gave the waitress a dismissive look. “There’s no need. I know the way.”
Erwin turned to walk away but Bayleigh didn’t watch him. She dropped her face into her
hands and tried to collect herself.
This was a freaking nightmare. What had she done to deserve such a disastrous week, such a
catastrophic dating life? Erwin just might have ruined any chance she had at a relationship with
Dane. She looked up when the waitress spoke.
“I’m sorry about that. Both of you can have another cup of coffee and a dessert if you’d like,
on me.”
Bayleigh gave her an appreciative smile. “Thank you, but it isn’t your fault. Besides you
already helped immensely by making him leave.”
The waitress nodded, giving her a sympathetic smile before walking away. Leaving her to
deal with a silent, seething, Dane by herself.
Anger radiated off of him but he remained silent. Bayleigh was afraid to look at him, fearful
of what she would find.
“What the hell was Erwin mouthing off about?” Dane spoke low, but his anger was still clear
in his voice.
“Not right now, Dane. I need time to figure all this out.”
Dane exhaled harshly before moving away from her. “Will it ever be time to deal with it,
Bayleigh?”
She remained silent. When she didn’t have an answer, it was the best route for her to go.
“Dammit, Bayleigh. He just insulted you. Why didn’t you let me defend you?”
She shook her head. “Because he isn’t worth earning a criminal background over. And
believe me, he has said worse.”
Dane stiffened, swearing under his breath. “What did the bastard do to you, Bayleigh?”
The tears that she had been struggling to hold back, won out. She wiped away a tear that fell.
“Erwin made me feel guilty about our relationship every day.”
Dane swore again and closed his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me, Bayleigh?”
Bayleigh turned her head to look at him. “I did. I just didn’t always give you all of the
details.”
There was nothing but kindness and concern in his expression. Two emotions she hadn’t
seen in Erwin’s eyes. Two sentiments he probably wasn’t even capable of. Looking at Dane she
realized more than ever that she had to make a break with her past. If she didn’t, her future with
Dane would be non-existent. Turning her body toward him, she decided to lay everything on the
line.
“Look Dane I’m sorry I left you hanging all week but I wasn’t trying to hurt you or ignore
you. This was more about me than you.”
He grimaced. “Wow. I never expected to hear such a cliché coming from you.”
She reached out and took his hand in hers. “It may sound cliché but it’s true. It isn’t you. It’s
me. You know it’s true.”
Bayleigh watched his jaw tighten as if he wanted to speak but refrained. He reached for his
coffee cup, but didn’t pick it up. “So are you calling our relationship off?”
She exhaled softly. “I’m not throwing out what we have or giving up on us. However, after
all of the recent events, I realize I might not be ready for an ‘us’. Too much has been left unresolved
and it’s starting to get stirred up…especially with you.”
Dane looked at her with clear confusion. “With me?”
“The emotions you make me feel scare me, Dane.”
Her voice shook, putting emphasis on just how much they did. “We have talked about love
and you make it sound so simple. In my experience it has been nothing but complicated and hard. In
so many ways you have made me question if I really know what love is.”
Dane made a strangled sound. When he looked at her pure frustration was on his face.
“Bayleigh, I lo—”
Bayleigh placed a finger to his lips to keep him from saying the words she had been
expecting him to say for some time now. “Please, Dane. Just give me some time.”
“Dammit, Bayleigh. You’re not a quitter.”
“I’m not quitting, just asking for a little time.”
He sat back in the booth, a dejected look on his face. “How much time do you need?”
She remained silent and he groaned. “You�
�re killing me, Bayleigh.”
Another tear fell. “It’s killing me as well, but I need to sort this out. Otherwise it won’t be
fair to you.”
Dane remained quiet for several heartbeats before sighing. “I know I will probably regret
these words. Take the time you need, Bayleigh.”
Her lips began to tremble but she turned and pressed them against his in a soft kiss. He
deepened it slightly and she felt his need, his desperation, matching hers perfectly. When he pulled
back, she was struggling to keep it together. “It’s getting late and I’m tired.”
Dane nodded but didn’t say anything. She grabbed her purse and slid out of the booth. Her
heart pounded in her chest as she walked away. It was hard to do. Bayleigh was on a mission to
embrace her past because if she didn’t, her relationship with Dane wouldn’t survive.
One Reckless Night Page 21
