AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Eighteen
After pulling up in Mark’s driveway, Josh met us at the door, giving a pointed look toward Brian, clearly not expecting me to have returned with him.
“Would you believe I left my purse here?” I quipped.
Josh’s gaze focused on the one currently sitting on my shoulder, and his lips twitched. “He’s in the living room.”
I let out a breath, happy Josh hadn’t shut the door in my face.
Steeling myself against the possibility of Mark’s rejection, I nevertheless drank in the sight of him on the couch, awake and speaking in low tones with Dr. Mac.
His head turned, and his eyes met mine; I witnessed his physical reaction and felt his words like a dagger to my heart. “What are you doing here?”
He stood up, unsteady on his feet, but his features were firm in the declaration despite a blush staining his cheeks.
“I came in last night to see you. And didn’t want to leave without talking to you.”
“Now isn’t a good time. It may be better if you left.”
Being shut out hurt like hell, but I hoped it was only his embarrassment talking. “If that’s what you truly want, then I will. I left my son at home and dropped everything because I wanted to be here for you. No matter what happens, I do care about you.”
“But if you never want to see me again, never want to talk to me, and absolutely don’t want me in your life, then I’ll walk away right now. Because I refuse to try to help someone who doesn’t want it or appreciate it.” Again. My voice was down to a whisper as I hoped I wasn’t pushing him into just that. I prayed I hadn’t read this situation all wrong. It was damn hard to make myself completely vulnerable this way.
“However, if there’s any chance that’s not true, then don’t make me walk out your door. Because I won’t ever come back.”
Time stood still. Although there were three other people in the room, it felt as if it was only Mark and I, incredible emotion flowing between us. Finally, as I turned on my heel, his voice broke through.
“Wait, Jules. Please.”
Three words had never sounded better. Air filled my lungs again. I wasted no time in closing the distance between us and putting my arms around him. I felt thankful when he did the same, squeezing me tight.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured into my neck. “It was the humiliation talking. I can’t believe you came.” He let out a shaky breath.
“Of course I did. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were upset about me leaving. I thought when I didn’t hear from you that you weren’t as affected. That maybe you’d moved on.”
He leaned back, glancing around the room and gesturing with his arm. “If you haven’t noticed, that’s not exactly my strong suit.”
I couldn’t keep myself from grinning. Especially since he was now smiling, too. When I glanced at the others in the room, I saw his comment had given everyone the levity they’d needed. At least he wasn’t afraid to address the elephant in the room. “No, I don’t suppose it is.”
“Mark, would you feel comfortable having Juliette join us in our talk?” Dr. Mac asked.
“Yes, but not here. Maybe at the apartment or your office.”
He must’ve seen my involuntary flinch and understood I felt he was shutting me out of his house again. “It’s not you, Jules. I just think it might be easier for me to talk some place neutral, without everything from the past around me. I shudder to think of how my house looks through your eyes.”
It looked like the home of a man who’d once been deeply in love with his fiancée. The question was whether the image matched the way he still felt. “Who am I to judge you hanging onto everything? My own preference would be to take a match to the house I shared with my ex. My attorney friend informed me that’s arson, though, so my options are limited to selling and giving everything away.”
He smiled in response. “Sorry I’m such a stickler for wanting to keep you out of prison. I’m going to take a quick shower, talk with Brian and Josh for a few minutes, and then meet you and Dr. Mac at the apartment building. Is that okay?”
I nodded and accepted the office key he handed me.
* * *
Dr. Mac waiteduntil we were in his car to start talking. “You doing all right, Juliette?”
I figured he could probably see my hands shaking. “Better now, since he didn’t kick me out.”
Dr. Mac pulled out onto the street and started driving the short distance to the apartment building. “The confrontation couldn’t have been easy for you, I’m sure.”
