AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Because I’m worried that, like doughnuts, there might not be enough groveling in the world to make you forgive me.”
She felt her mouth drop open. Made herself close it. Tried to remember how to talk while “forgive me, forgive me, forgive me” echoed on a loop in her head. “Maybe you should be worried.”
He stepped a little closer. Dammit. He might look rumpled and travel-stained but he smelled far too good.
“Only maybe?” he said softly.
She closed her eyes. She couldn’t be dumb again. She had to be strong. Had to send him away. “What do you want, Zach?”
“I wanted to tell you I’m back.”
“So I see. But based on our last conversation I’m forced to conclude that you being back isn’t any of my business.”
“You know what they say about jumping to conclusions.” He offered her a tentative smile.
“You’re trying to be charming again.”
“Sorry.”
He didn’t look sorry.
“Zach, I’m busy. Welcome home and all that but I have somewhere I need to be.” His sister’s party. Where he was probably headed, she realized with sudden horror. Oh God. She could not go if he was going to be there. She wouldn’t be able to pretend everything was sunshine and roses with Zach standing in the same room reminding her it really, really wasn’t.
“Wait,” Zach said. “I haven’t said what I came to say.”
“If you mention doughnuts again, I’m going to have to hurt you.”
He shook his head. “No doughnuts. No pastry of any kind. Just a confession.”
A confession? She didn’t know what to say so she just made a little “go on” gesture.
“I’m a world-class idiot.”
“I’m aware.” She was also aware of her fingers clenching by her side, of the tremble in her skin, of the foolish foolish hope starting to grow in her chest.
“I treated you like crap. I ran away.”
“Still not news, Zach.”
“Well, maybe this part will be. I know I can say ‘sorry.’ I am saying ‘sorry.’ Sorry,” he added. “But I need you to know why I came back.”
“Why?” Oh, that stupid, stupid heart of hers. It wanted to step closer to him. Grab him. Hold onto him so he couldn’t leave again. She made herself stay right where she was. Was she never going to learn?
“Because I was miserable without you. Because I need you. Because I don’t give a crap about Davis Lewis and his reputation. I want you. I want to make music with you and love with you and…” He trailed off. “I just want you.”
She was trying to think. This seemed so surreal. Maybe she was napping after all? She dug her fingernails into her palm. Felt the sting of it. So, apparently she was awake. And Zach was standing there. Telling her he?—
“Say something,” Zach said.
“You left me,” she said. “Twice.”
“I came back,” he said. “Granted the first time took me far too long, but I wasn’t so stupid this time.”
“You’ve been gone nearly two weeks.” Two weeks that had felt like several centuries.
“That’s better than years,” he said with another half-smile. “If it helps, I hated every second of it.”
“So did I,” she blurted, then clapped a hand over her mouth.
