Chapter Thirty
“Can I help you, sir?”
I shook my head, trying not to be rude. She was only the third Target employee to ask that question. Didn’t they have anything better to do?
Granted, I had been pacing the family planning aisle for the past ten minutes. So, yes, I probably looked a bit strange. But I wasn’t technically doing anything wrong, and I was on a mission—to win back the woman I loved.
Juliana and Lauren were supposed to be here already, and I was beginning to wonder if my plan was even going to work. I was on the verge of calling Kate and cursing her for helping me with this ridiculous idea when I saw her.
Lauren.
She looked as beautiful as ever, and she was wearing my favorite shoes. That had to be a good omen. It was odd to see her dressed in black when she usually favored color, but it suited her. As I drank in her curves, I realized they seemed less voluptuous. I frowned, noting the way her dress seemed to hang on her.
When she spotted me, her eyes went wide, and she immediately spun away. She tried to run, but Juliana was there, talking to her in a hushed voice. Their movements were animated, but I couldn’t hear a word they said, despite my best attempts.
Finally, Lauren turned back to face me, marching down the aisle. Juliana ducked out of sight, and I silently thanked her for getting Lauren here and convincing her to stay.
“What do you want, Hunter?” I sensed resignation in her tone and wariness in her eyes.
“You. I want you.”
“I wanted you too, but you lied to me.” Her voice was shaky, anger and hurt warring for dominance. “Why did you do it?” she whispered as if it pained her to say the words aloud.
“I did it to protect you,” I said, pleading. Praying she would listen.
“No.” She straightened, digging a finger into my chest. “Don’t you dare say that. The only person you were trying to protect was yourself.”
“I just…” I paused, sensing that I was fucking this up. “I didn’t know how you’d react. And every time I tried to tell you, something came up. So, I decided not to tell you unless it became an issue.”
“Don’t you see?” Her voice rose with every word. “It was already an issue. And it was only an issue because you kept it from me. Because you didn’t trust me. God, what is it with the men in my life keeping secrets from me in an effort to ‘protect’ me?” she huffed, and I wondered what she was referring to.
“That’s a lie, and you know it. If I’d told you about Mia and the baby, you would’ve run.”
“Maybe. And maybe I wouldn’t have. But you never gave me the chance. Because you didn’t fucking tell me!” She yelled the last few words.
“Well, if you hadn’t been so insistent on your damn rules…” I stepped closer, staring her down. This wasn’t going the way I’d wanted it to. Though, what had I really expected—her to come running into my arms, forgiveness falling from her lips? Instead, we were fighting in the middle of the family planning aisle.
“You clung to the ‘no feelings’ rule like a lifeline,” I said, growing madder by the second. “If you hadn’t insisted on it, we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.” I threw my hands in the air, exasperated.
“Um, guys?” Juliana peeked her head around the corner of the aisle.
“What?” we both shouted, our eyes fixed on each other.
“Maybe you can take it down a notch? Security is this close”—she held up her thumb and forefinger—“to throwing you two out.”
“Oh no.” Lauren raised her hand in the air, spinning away from me. “I am not getting kicked out of my favorite store because of you.”
“Guys,” Juliana said, glancing between the two of us. “Go home, fight, fuck. Whatever you need to do. But don’t give up. Not if you really love each other. And I have a feeling you do.”
Lauren crossed her arms over her chest, unwilling to look at me.
“Look,” I sighed. “I know I fucked up. I fucked up then, and I fucked up today. But I’m trying. Please…just—” I blew out a breath, wondering why I couldn’t seem to get it together when it came to this woman. “Will you come home with me? Hear me out?”
Lauren was silent a moment.
“Please?” I asked. “And if, at the end of it, you still can’t forgive me, I’ll let you go.”
She nodded.
