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“None of your business.” Coffee was a mistake. I straightened my shoulders. “Say what you’ve got to say.”
“Spit it out? State my case?” His narrowed eyes challenged.
“No, I said…” Oh, no, you don’t. I pressed my lips together, catching myself before he baited me into losing my temper. “What do you want?”
“I want us.” He leaned across the table. “I want us to be the way we were.”
“You can never go home.” Shaking my head, I muted a sigh.
“Maeve, I was wrong to break up. When you mustered out, I didn’t want to hold you back.” His voice monotone, he stared into his coffee. Then he raised his gaze, imploring. “I convinced myself I was being noble, but I made a terrible mistake, and I’d love a second chance.”
“It’s too late. I’m in a new relationsh…partnership.”
“Which is it, a relationship or a partnership?” His face reddening, an angry V showed between his brows.
“A little of both.” Pleased at the team Luke and I made, I raised my chin.
He reached for his phone, showing me its wallpaper—our photo with dozens of hot-air balloons rising in the background. “Remember?”
“Albuquerque.” I nodded. “Good times.”
“We had a lot of good times.” His eyes snapped. “Hey, Albuquerque’s only a four-hour drive from El Paso—or we could take that kayak trip we always talked about through Big Bend’s Boquillas Canyon.” His face brightened. “What do you say?”
Big Bend. The name conjured images of the getaway with Luke, as well as Marianna and Ramon’s old homestead.
“I’ll take that smile as a yes.” Sitting back, he sipped his coffee.
I squinted. “What are you talking about?”
“You grinned when I mentioned that river trip, so I thought—”
“No, not at all.” I stifled a sigh. “You misread me.” Again.
His forehead wrinkled into a puzzled scowl, reminding me of the day I mustered out. He looks the way I felt—adrift, lost. Empathy softened my bitterness. “Cody, I don’t think you want to get back together as much as you want to find a familiar face.” I shrugged. “It’s easier than starting a new relationship—takes less energy.”
“No, I want to right a wrong. I screwed up what we had, and I’d like to make amends…start over.”
“That’s the second time this morning you’ve apologized.” I scratched my head. “Maybe you’re just looking for forgiveness…closure.”
“I thought splitting up was the right thing…for you. I just want you to understand why I broke up and know I’d never make that mistake again.” Reaching for my hand, he tugged my fingertips. “I never wanted to let you go, and I promise things will be different this time.”
My hand lay limp in his.
“What do you say?”
“You thought splitting up was the right thing…for me.” I parodied his words. “If you’d honestly been concerned about my welfare, you’d have discussed it with me, not broken our engagement.”
“I made a mistake.”
“Yeah, you did, a big mistake—”
“Maeve, you always gave without taking. This time, take me back.” He pulled my hand to his chest.
Taut muscles stretched his shirt as his torso rose and fell with each breath.
Synchronizing my breathing with his, I gazed into his blue eyes and saw the love I remembered. How could I forget?
****
