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“Thank you,” he rasped, and another round of coughing started.
“Something else is wrong,” Teresa announced when he caught his breath.
Lucy.
Teresa didn’t miss much. He had forgotten that about her.
“Lucy’s leaving.”
“That girl I met? Where is she going?”
“Yeah. She has another job offer. She’s taking it. I messed up. It’s done between us.” He gripped the handle on the mug.
“You love her. I see this when you are together.”
“She’s still leaving.”
“When you love someone, you come back to them. She is young, you are young…you don’t know this about life yet.”
“That’s not how the world works, Teresa.” His head started to throb in earnest, and not from the fire.
“He turns thirty, thinks he knows everything,” she said to no one in particular. Then she said directly to him, “You trust me before. When you were a child. Trust me on this. You apologize, and you prove your love. If she loves you back, you’ll find a way.” Teresa raised an eyebrow at him. “Come to dinner with your father and me. No more excuses.”
She stood and raised her arms with a little wave for him to hug her. He did. And he didn’t let go.
“Thank you,” he whispered into her hair.
“You need red wine for that cough.” She gripped his shoulders and looked up at him. “And soak some sage leaves in the hot water, add some honey. It helps, too.”
“Wine and sage. Got it.”
“And dinner. You come to dinner.”
“Wine, sage, and dinner. Okay.” He squeezed her hand.
When she smiled, it hit him straight at his heart. He’d missed her. Missed that smile.
“Now, walk me out. You’re a gentleman.”
“I’m a gentleman,” he parroted.
“This one”—she jerked her thumb at him—“always so smart.”
He hugged her against him, and then he walked her to her car.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Three weeks later…
William was sweating. The bright lights of the Beach Nights Reunion studio warmed the set past comfortable levels.
He tapped his foot against the blue carpeting and stared ahead into the array of cameras and screens, production crew and directors. His blood pressure rose higher than the ratings haul the producers assured him this show was sure to carry.
Lucy had to understand how he felt. She didn’t believe he loved her, but he did. And he was willing to put his reputation on the line again to prove it to her.
Now he only hoped to hell she’d watch the show—and they wouldn’t flay him again on national television.
“William?” Mason Hale, the host of the show, stuck his hand out to William.
