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Trey remembered awaking to a ruckus. His mother had told him it was a problem with the neighbors. He had no reason not to believe her at the time. But his father’s words were starting to answer some questions.
Was it possible his father wasn’t the villain that his mother had painted? Trey’s head started to pound. It was just too much.
“I can’t do this.” Trey turned and walked out of the room.
Sage followed him to the front steps. “Trey, don’t go. I’m sorry I invited your father here. I shouldn’t have done it. Let’s just forget this happened and go to the gala. It’ll be the perfect end—”
“Stop.” He just couldn’t take any more of her looking at him like he was the answer to her dreams. “Ever since the birthday party, you keep saying that everything is perfect now. It’s not. I’m not.”
“I know you’re upset, but we’ll get through this together. That’s what couples do. They work through the thick and thin.”
He shook his head. “We’re not a couple.”
Her mouth gaped as though his words had stabbed her. He hated to see the pain reflected in her eyes, but it was time to bring her back down to earth before she got in any deeper.
“Sage, I do care about you, how could I not? You are sweet, kind and thoughtful. You would make any man the perfect wife, but not me. I don’t fit into your plan for a perfect family.”
“That’s not true.”
“Isn’t it? Didn’t you bring my father here in order to bring us back together? You want that perfect family that was stolen from you. And you deserve the perfect life. But I can’t be part of that perfect picture.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. “You can if you want to be.”
He shook his head. “I am broken. You just heard me with my father. With those two as my role models, I’d have no chance of making the perfect husband or father. I’m too damaged on the inside. I would never make you happy. You are better off without me.”
It took every bit of willpower to turn his back on her and walk away.
“But you do make me happy.” The whisper of her voice was carried by the breeze.
He assured himself that he was doing what was best for her.
But it sure didn’t feel like it.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE TRIP TO the French Riviera had been a complete and utter disaster.
And she had no one to blame but herself.
Sage had been back in Los Angeles for a week now and she hadn’t heard one word from Trey. Every time she walked past his empty desk, it was like a nail was being driven into her heart. Sharp and painful.
Today was the board meeting. With Trey being the acting CEO, there was no way he could avoid being in the same room with her. She’d arrived at the meeting with a comprehensive report that she’d worked all week to finalize. It detailed where the magazine had been financially and circulation-wise when she took over. It showed the increase in supermarkets and bookstores that were willing to carry the revamped format as well as their online subscriptions. And then there was the calendar of extraordinary individuals as well as global events that they would be featuring for not one but two years. That last part was mainly thanks to Trey and she felt bad about not being able to thank him.
As soon as the meeting had concluded, Trey stood. The breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to approach her. Instead he turned and left the room without a word to her. Other board members stopped to speak with her. Some had questions about a portion of the presentation and others wanted to compliment her on the work she’d done so far.
Why had she ever thought that bringing Trey face-to-face with his father was a good idea? She knew that Trey had been terribly hurt in the past. She had just hoped that somehow father and son could find a new start—something she would never have with either of her parents.
As she made her way back to her office, she couldn’t help but think about Trey’s parting words to her: “I don’t fit into your plan for a perfect family.” Was he right? Was she looking for the “perfect” family to make up for the one she’d lost?
She’d never really thought about it. Not until now. There had never been an opportunity for her to consider having a family of her own. Sure, there had been Charlie, but their relationship hadn’t escalated to the point of thinking about marriage or a family. At least she could be thankful for that one small saving grace. Because she’d made a total fool of herself by believing all of his lies.
But Trey was nothing like Charlie. And then she thought about how they’d met. Trey had lied to her about who he was and what he wanted. But he’d done everything in his power to make it up to her—to show her that he wasn’t that person, that he was better.
And the thing was she really liked the real Trey. She liked him so much that she’d wanted him to have the one thing she couldn’t have—a family. She’d been so sure if Trey could open his heart and listen to his father that they could find their way back to each other. And it had been a disaster.
Now, not only was Trey out of her life, but soon Happy would be gone, too. She’d thought about stopping by Louise’s office because she was still puppy-sitting Happy. She could really use some puppy kisses and snuggles. Not that he was hers, but in the time they’d spent together, he’d snuck into her heart. But she resisted the temptation. She had to get used to life without Trey or Happy in it.
She walked into her office and came to a stop. There was Happy with his tail wagging. Her heavy heart felt a little lighter and her downturned lips lifted into a genuine smile.
