“Thanks for checking up on her,” I added. “And for the flowers. Leslie didn’t have to do that, but Elise really appreciated them. It meant a lot.”
“Leslie insisted,” Dalton said with a shrug, but there was pride in his eyes. “Said no woman should go through something like that without a reminder that she’s not alone.”
I swallowed hard, the burn from the brandy nothing compared to the one in my chest. “She’s tougher than she looks.”
Dalton let out a long breath, his shoulders easing. “That’s a relief, man. I’ve been worried, but knowing Elise is holding up, that takes a weight off.”
He studied me for a moment, though, the way only a friend who’d known me long enough could. His eyes narrowed, not unkindly, just sharp.
“But that’s not why you dragged me down here, is it?” Dalton asked, tipping his glass toward me. “You wouldn’t be two shots in on a Monday night just to give me an update. So…” He leaned in, voice low. “What’s really eating you?
The bartender placed another shot of brandy before me and I waited until he walked away before I spoke freely. “Got into my first argument with Elise.”
Just those words tasted bitter in my mouth. Argument and Elise shouldn’t be in the same sentence.
I didn’t mean to upset her, but the thought of Elise actually working for Titan made my blood simmer. I knew she was auditioning to be one of his backup dancers. I’d told myself it was fine. Just a job. But knowing something in theory and accepting it in reality were two different things. One was manageable. The other felt like the ground shifted under me.
Titan was talented, I wouldn’t deny that. There was a reason my father signed him to Edge Records. But the guy also had a reputation that made me want to slam my fist through a wall. I’d lost count of how many times I’d seen his name on blog sites, always with a different woman draped over him. Supermodels, actresses, singers—you name it. Half of them had gone on to announce pregnancies that may or may not have been his.
I didn’t want Elise anywhere near that mess. Not in a professional capacity. Not in any capacity.
I don’t know why she couldn’t understand that. I meant what I said, but I had to admit my delivery might have been poor.
I regretted my words the moment she walked out the door knowing that in that moment my words reminded her of her father, but I knew better than to go after her right away. She was angry with me and needed time; I was upset and needed a stiff drink. Lucky for me, Dalton was up for the job of keeping me company tonight.
“Shit. What happened?”
I told him.
“You’re an idiot.” Dalton replied when I finished hashing out the details of our argument.
“Fuck you, Foster.” I knocked back the rest of my drink.
“I’ve been married long enough to recognize when a guy’s being an idiot, so let me be clear, you’re being an idiot.” Dalton said.“You’re dating a dancer; opportunities like this are gonna be coming her way until she wants otherwise. Now for some reason that I don’t understand, she likes you. So instead of being an ass, you need to support her.”
Fuck.
He was right.
The last thing Elise needed was for another man in her life trying to control her dreams. Her dad did enough of that.
The drink suddenly tasted sour in my mouth.
The last person I want to remind Elise of was her father.
She didn’t need me to diminish opportunities that she worked hard for.
If you can’t support my dreams, then maybe we don’t need to continue this relationship.
Her words sat heavy in my chest.
Why didn’t I kiss her and tell her congratulations? No, instead I decided to be a dick and hurt the woman I l—.
Love.
I love her.
The realization hit harder than a wrecking ball through a wall of cement. That’s the reason I started having second thoughts about the stipulation. The reason why I couldn’t think past a life without Elise. Why the idea of her walking away from us scared the shit out of me.
