by Regina Hart
“I do understand. But I think you’re both wrong.” Lily finished her salad.
Rose blinked. She hadn’t expected Lily’s comment. Their server arrived to refill Lily’s glass of ice water and top off Rose’s iced tea. She waited until the young woman left with Lily’s empty salad bowl before continuing their conversation. “What are we wrong about?”
Lily met her gaze. “Rosie, you’re right. Ben is a pig.”
“I know.” Where was Lily going with this?
“For him to sleep with all of those women, even while you were planning your wedding, was reprehensible. He didn’t only damage your trust in men. He damaged your trust in yourself. The reason you continue to lump all men in the same category as Ben is that you’re afraid to trust your instincts.”
Rose gasped. The truth of what Lily was saying was a sucker punch to her gut. Why hadn’t I realized it before?
She braced her elbows on the table and held her head in her hands. Rose felt sick. “For Pete’s sake, Lil. Do you really think so?”
“Of course I do.”
“That son of a—”
“The good news is your self-confidence is coming back.” Lily pulled her bowl of chicken noodle soup closer. Rose caught a whiff of its seasonings.
“Can I get you ladies anything else?” Their server appeared with the bill folder.
“Nothing for me.” Lily gestured toward Rose’s untouched burger. “But we’ll take a to-go box.”
Rose returned her attention to Lily as their server disappeared again. “What makes you think I’m getting my confidence back?”
Lily seemed surprised by Rose’s question. “You’re going to the reunion by yourself.”
“You think that’s a good thing?”
“I think it’s a step in the right direction.” Lily dug into her purse for her wallet.
Rose took the bill folder. “I’ll put this on my card.”
“This is for my part of the bill and tip.” Lily gave Rose her money.
Rose put Lily’s money in her wallet and tucked her credit card into the bill folder. The server appeared on cue. She left the to-go box and took the bill.
“Iris thinks I should go with Van to the reunion.” Rose transferred her burger and what was left of her fries from her plate to the to-go box.
“One step at a time.” Lily’s tone became chiding. “But if you and Iris spent less time telling each other what to do and more time listening to each other, you’d find your conversations much more pleasant.”
“You’re probably right.” Rose drained her glass of iced tea.
The server returned with Rose’s card and receipt. She thanked them for coming before vanishing again.
“Of course I’m right.” Lily collected her purse. “You’re both bullies, and you both always think you’re right.”
“We don’t bully you.” Rose followed her sister from the restaurant.
“That’s because I don’t let you.”
The restaurant was in walking distance of both of their downtown offices. On the sidewalk, Rose prepared to part ways with her sister. “What did you mean by ‘one step at a time’?”
“The first step was finding the confidence to go to the reunion by yourself.” Lily adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “The second step is allowing yourself to fall in love with Van.”
“What?” Shock rocked Rose back on her heels.
Lily gave Rose’s forearm a quick squeeze. “He’s a good person and seems to genuinely care about you.”
Rose shook her head. The thought of taking that risk was overwhelming. “I don’t know, Lil.”
Her sister smiled. “Trust your instincts, Rosie. This time, listen to your heart and tell your head to shut up.”
She watched Lily disappear into downtown’s lunch crowd. Rose was still reeling from Lily’s insights but her sister was right. She’d blamed herself for making the mistake of trusting Benjamin. That error in judgment was the reason she no longer trusted her instincts. And it was the reason she was afraid to love Donovan.
Now that she recognized what was holding her back, could she find the courage to fall in love?
Chapter 14
The knocking broke Donovan’s concentration on Wednesday afternoon. Kayla stood in his office doorway. She’d accessorized her pink business dress with a pearl necklace and matching earrings. Her hand was raised as though she was preparing to knock again.
Donovan stood. “Kayla, hi. Please come in.”
“Where were you?” Kayla’s onyx eyes twinkled at him. She settled onto his guest chair.
“What do you mean?” Donovan circled his desk to sit beside her.
“I knocked twice before.” Kayla cast her gaze around his office. Unlike everyone else, she didn’t have a noticeable reaction to the papers strewn across most of his office furnishings. She was probably used to the sight by now. Her attention lingered on the photo of him, Xavier and Tyler posing in their caps and gowns after their college graduation.
“I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.” Embarrassment warmed Donovan’s cheeks.
“I could tell.” Kayla’s soft laughter was warm with affection. She drew her gaze from the graduation photo and settled it on him. “What were you thinking about?”
“Work.” His flush deepened.
“Work, huh?” The look in Kayla’s eyes told him she didn’t buy it. Fortunately, she changed the subject. “I’m here to personally invite you to my annual Farewell to Summer Barbecue. Can you attend?”
Donovan relaxed. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Thank you.”
It was startling to realize they were already halfway through September. The formal invitations to Kayla’s fete had been mailed in August. Still, every year, Kayla visited each department at Anderson Adventures to invite associates and their families to the Farewell to Summer Barbecue held at her house. Her personal attention ensured that most people attended, which meant she hosted more than two hundred guests. Afterward, the company always experienced a boost in morale—and productivity—which carried them into the holidays and the next big Anderson Adventures social event. Donovan didn’t think Kayla held the barbecue for business reasons, though. She just enjoyed a good party.
“Wonderful.” She reached over to pat his hand. “You’re welcome to bring Rose, of course. How is she?”
Donovan drew a steadying breath. He inhaled her scent, a soft fruity fragrance. Foster had bought her the perfume. “We’re no longer together.”
The twinkle faded from Kayla’s eyes. “Van, I’m so sorry. What happened?”
“Things didn’t work out.” He lowered his gaze to her hand on his.
“What things?” She squeezed his hand.
Again, he wished he had the answer to that. “I don’t know. She wouldn’t tell me.”
Kayla seemed to take that in. Her silence as she held his hand was both comforting and supportive. Donovan disappeared into his thoughts until she spoke.
“I didn’t like Xavier’s last girlfriend.” Kayla’s comment came out of nowhere, but Donovan went with it.
“That was obvious to everyone but Xavier. And Ty.” He grinned.
Kayla’s slender shoulders shook with her chuckles. “Before Iris, Ty couldn’t see anything outside of his computer monitor. Although, to his credit, he never missed a family birthday or holiday.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“I didn’t like Lauren because she was secretive.” Kayla shook her head in disapproval. “You can’t trust secretive people.”
“Lauren proved that.”
“On the other hand, Rose and her sisters are open books. You know where you stand with them, and you know what they’re thinking—because they tell you.” Kayla tilted her head. “Lily’s the quiet one, though. She
lets her sisters do most of the talking.”
“I’ve always admired your powers of observation.” Donovan turned his hand to hold hers.
“But you have no idea why I’m telling you this, do you?” Her dark eyes twinkled at him again.
“No, I don’t.” Donovan struggled against a grin.
“We agreed that Rose is an open book. So she must have a pretty big reason not to tell you why she called things off.”
“Like what?” Donovan searched Kayla’s eyes. He was desperate for an answer. Did she know? If so, he wished she’d just tell him.
“Think about it, Van. Why would someone not tell you something?”
“I don’t know. Because they’re afraid?”
“Bingo.” She winked at him.
“But she doesn’t have any reason to be afraid.” He heard the frustration in his own voice. “How do I convince her to trust me?”
“You could start by trusting her.” Kayla released his hand. She crossed her legs and smoothed the hem of her dress over her knee.
“I do trust her.” Donovan’s eyes widened in surprise.
Kayla arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Then why haven’t you told her how you feel?”
“I told her I wanted to continue our relationship.” Wasn’t that the same thing?
“Oh, Van.” Kayla shook her head in disappointment. “Why do couples always play the game of Who Will Say I Love You First? It wastes so much time.”
“You think I should tell her?” Donovan’s throat was dry. Rose already had rejected him twice. He didn’t think he could survive hearing no from her a third time.
“If she’s The One, go after her and tell her how you feel.” She leaned forward to cup the side of his face. “If you don’t, the alternative is to spend the rest of your life with regret.”
The thought of spending the rest of his life without Rose filled him with fear. The feeling was even stronger than the panic he felt at the idea of telling Rose how he felt.
Donovan drew another deep breath. “Thank you for the advice, Kayla. You’re right. I don’t want to live my life with regret. I’ll talk with Rose.”
“Wonderful.” Kayla patted his hand. “If the Anderson Adventures men play their cards right, I’ll have the pleasure of helping to plan several weddings next year.”
“Including your own?” Donovan stood with her.
Kayla winked as she returned his smile. “If he plays his cards right.”
The company’s matriarch waved as she left his office. Donovan returned to his desk. If he was going to avoid living a life filled with regret, the first thing he needed to do was make plans to spend the weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He had a reunion to attend.
* * *
“Hi, Lil. I’m at the hotel.” Rose spoke into her cell phone. She lifted her weekend travel bag onto the suitcase stand at the foot of the king-size bed. The room was spacious and well maintained—and freezing.
“Great. Thanks for letting me know.” Lily’s response carried down the line. “How was the drive?”
“Long and uneventful. And long.” Rose went to the thermostat beside the window and turned down the air-conditioning. It had been set at sixty degrees, not a comfortable climate for her navy capris and lavender tank.
“I’m glad you made it safely. Have you checked in?”
“Yes, I’m all set. I’m in the hotel room now. I’m going to unpack, then see if anyone I know has arrived. I’ll call Iris first, though, to let her know that I got here safely.”
“I hope you have a good time. What’s your room number?”
Rose’s eyebrows knitted in curiosity. “It’s 238. But if you need to reach me, just call me on my cell phone. You don’t have to go through the front desk.”
“Okay.” Lily seemed distracted. What was she doing?
“I’d better get going. I want to register tonight.”
“Wait a minute. I can call Iris to let her know you arrived safely, if you’d like. You have a lot to do.”
“That would be great. Give her my best, and tell her I’ll call her in the morning.”
Lily kept Rose on the phone a while longer asking what seemed like unnecessary questions. Rose grew anxious to end their call.
Then a knock on the door startled Rose. “Lil, there’s someone at the door. I’ll check in with you tomorrow. I’d better go now. Take care.”
Once she’d ended the call with her sister, Rose went to the door, leaning in to look through the security peephole. She gasped when she recognized the person on the other side of her door. Her pulse kicked up. She couldn’t catch her breath.
Rose freed the locks, then pulled open her door. She blinked, but Donovan didn’t disappear. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Is that any way to greet a friend?” He arched an eyebrow at her. On him, the expression was too sexy for words.
Rose was frozen to the spot. She still couldn’t catch her breath. Why was this happening now? She wanted to see him, to talk with him, but she needed more time to prepare.
“What are you doing here?” Her gaze ate him up. In his casual dark slacks and jewel-toned polo shirt, he looked like an ad for a wicked weekend.
His hazel eyes moved over her face as though he hadn’t seen her in years rather than weeks. “We need to talk, Rose. May I come in?”
“Van, that wouldn’t be a good idea.” Rose swallowed hard, remembering the king-size bed that dominated the room behind her. “How did you know which room I was in?”
“I had a little help from Lily.”
Rose’s confusion cleared. Now she understood why Lily had asked her room number and kept her on the phone for so long. A good sister would have warned her. “Both of my sisters seem very fond of you.”
“I like them, too.”
“Good. Tell them I said hello when you get back to Columbus.” Rose started to close the door. She needed more time.
Donovan pushed against it to keep it open. “Rose, please. Just give me five minutes of your time.” He made a show of looking up and down the hallway. “You don’t want to cause a scene for your classmates, do you?”
Donovan had a point. She didn’t want her classmates to see her and her ex–pretend boyfriend engaged in a shoving match with her hotel door. The idea of inviting him into a room with a king-size bed didn’t sit well with her, but it was the lesser of two evils. Her time was up. Rose stood back to let him in.
“Thank you.” Donovan strode past her, tempting her with his scent.
Rose locked the door, then turned to face him. The room didn’t seem as spacious anymore.
“Please say what you have to say, then leave.” Rose crossed her arms, trying to keep her anxiety from spreading. “Although I don’t know what you have to say that’s so important that you had to drive to Ann Arbor rather than pick up the phone.”
“I’m in love with you.”
The air rushed out of Rose’s lungs. The blood drained from her head. She locked her knees to keep from collapsing onto the floor. “What?”
Donovan closed the distance between them. He held her upper arms and stared down into her face. “I drove three hours so that I could tell you in person that I’m in love with you, Rose Beharie.”
Rose stepped back from his embrace. She needed room to think. Her legs shook as she walked past him, then dropped onto the bed. She studied the thin gray carpet as she struggled to gather her thoughts. “You can’t be in love with me. We were pretending to be in love.”
“I know the difference between real and make-believe, Rose. When you told me you didn’t want to see me anymore, the pain I felt was very real.”
Rose looked up at him. She remembered her own pain when she made that decision. “But we’ve only known each other three months.”
&nbs
p; Donovan took a step toward her. “And how long do we need to be together before we admit what we already know?”
She’d lived with Benjamin for two years before she’d realized their relationship wasn’t about love. It was about something far less romantic: Benjamin and his needs. After three months, she was more in love Donovan than she’d ever been with Benjamin.
“I want to believe that this will last.” Her eyes sought his.
Donovan went down on his knees in front of her and took her hands in his large, strong ones. “Give us a chance, Rose. That’s all I’m asking. Would it really be so horrible to fall in love with me?”
The look in his hazel eyes mesmerized her. He already had her heart. With the slightest nudge, he could have her body and soul. All she had to do was trust her instincts.
But how can I? Her head was still spinning. “Suppose you get bored with me?”
Donovan chuckled. “You could never bore me. You turn my world upside down. You fascinate and confound me. You arouse me and occasionally irritate me. But you will never bore me.”
Rose gave him a skeptical look. “I won’t compete with other women.”
“I’m not asking you to.” Donovan raised her left hand to his heart. “You’re the only woman for me, Rose. It’s you or no one. Sweetheart, I need you to trust me.”
More than his words, the look in his eyes said it all. He wanted to spend forever with her, and she wanted the same thing. Tears stung her eyes. Her heart was full to bursting.
Rose freed her right hand to cup the side of his handsome face. “I’ve already fallen in love with you, Van.”
His eyes widened with surprise. “You have?”
Rose smiled. “When I met you, I wanted revenge against my ex-fiancé. But falling in love with you has been so much better than revenge.”
Donovan pulled her off the bed and into his arms. He pressed his lips to hers. Her body flooded with warmth and desire. Falling in love was indeed so much sweeter than revenge. And all she had to do was trust her instincts to find her happily-ever-after with her very own hero.
* * * * *
