I studied him closely, seeing the changes in his face that weren’t there before. He had a small scar on his right cheekbone and there were small furrows between his eyes like he spent a lot of time squinting against the sun. His skin was darker, too. All of these changes only made him more handsome in my opinion.
I dropped my gaze from his and rubbed a velvet petal on one of the blooms for distraction. There was so much I wanted to say to him, so much I wanted to ask. But this wasn’t the place and after four years, I no longer had the nerve. I accepted his rejection a long time ago and I’d moved on and made a life I was comfortable with. Having those answers now wouldn’t change anything.
“I can’t answer that, Nicholas. It’s too late-”
“Please, Jayden, don’t say that,” he begged. The sound made my heart hurt in response. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but would you consider having dinner with me one evening? Somewhere public,” he rushed to offer. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and brushed my cheek softly with his finger. “I promise I don’t want anything from you other than dinner. I’d like to take you out on a date.”
I shook my head. “I-I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I replied, my voice heavy with regret. “I’m sorry. I really need to go.”
“Coffee, then?” he offered. “Please, Jayden. I just want the chance to do it right this time.”
I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I had trouble swallowing the emotion clogging my throat. I knew it was a mistake, but maybe I opened my mouth to answer only to be interrupted.
“Mommy, you got wost,” a high-pitched voice accused as a small body plowed into my knees. “You scawred me!”
“I’m sorry, Jayden, but she was getting antsy waiting for you,” William explained, rushing up from behind Nicholas, not noticing who I was talking to at first. “I told her we’d find you so we could go eat. Mom and your parents are heading to the restaurant with the kids to get a table. Grace and Kevin are getting the truck and-”
I quickly picked up the three-year-old ball of energy and held her close, burying my face in her long blond hair to hide my fear. I heard the sharp intake of breath, but didn’t know whether it was Nicholas’s shock at seeing his brother at my graduation or the other way around. Either way my house of cards was destroyed. I squeezed my eyes shut against the sting of tears that filled them.
“Jayden?” His voice was soft, but filled with confusion.
I lifted my face from my daughter’s hair and took a deep breath. I settled her on my hip and kissed her soft head before looking at him. “Nicholas, I’d like you to meet Nickie,” I offered quietly. I nudged her chin up from where her head rested on my shoulder and spoke softly to her. “Nickie, can you say ‘hello’?”
She turned to study Nicholas and I held my breath waiting. Blue eyes met blue eyes and if he hadn’t put the pieces together yet, she did it for him.
“Hewo, Daddy,” she announced innocently.
Table of Contents Cover
Title
Copyright
About the Author
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 01
Chapter 02
Chapter 03
Chapter 04
Chapter 05
Chapter 06
Chapter 07
Chapter 08
Chapter 09
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Epilogue
The Darkness of Perfection Page 22
