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“God, no.” The words tumbled out. “I just wondered.”
“The breakup wasn’t about you, Claudia. I wasn’t breaking up with her for you,” he said, and I knew that, so why did those words feel like a punch in the gut? “If I would have mentioned you, that’s all Shelby would have heard. She would’ve been convinced that I was breaking up with her for another woman, instead of all the other reasons why it was really happening. I didn’t want that.”
“You’re right. She would have.” It was true. If my boyfriend gave me a list of twenty reasons why he was dumping me, and another woman was number twenty on that list, it would be the only thing I would focus on.
“And this is why women are crazy,” he said with a laugh.
Pretending to be offended, I said, “Because guys are assholes,” but my tone was more serious than I’d intended, and he stopped laughing.
“Present company excluded?”
“Yet to be determined,” I said, and found myself smiling.
As if my smile gave him permission to relax, Frank’s chest heaved and his expression softened. “What other questions are on your list?”
“So impatient,” I teased.
His green eyes seemed to darken. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to kiss you?”
I found myself staring at his beautiful mouth, wondering how his lips would taste and feel. I’d imagined kissing Frank more times than I could count. “You’re pretty confident on the whole kissing thing for a guy I haven’t forgiven yet.”
“What can I say?” He gave me a grin that turned my bones to liquid. “I’m hopeful.”
Stupid charming Frank Fisher. I was hopeful too, but I still needed a few more questions answered before I could be sure.
“I’m almost done,” I said, waving my list at him, “but I have to ask you these first.”
“Ask.”
“Obviously, I have feelings for you, or I wouldn’t be here right now,” I admitted. “But I’m a little worried.”
“About what, exactly?”
“I—” I stopped and sucked in a deep breath, trying to figure out how to word my fears. “I’m worried that if we start dating and you become unhappy, that I won’t know because you won’t tell me. That you’ll pretend everything is okay when you’re really dying inside.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed and his eyebrows pinched together. “All I can tell you is that I don’t want to ever live like that again. It wasn’t fun, and it didn’t feel good.”
“But how do I know you won’t fall into that habit? Feel like you somehow owe me to stay together?”
“I can’t imagine growing tired of you, Claudia, or ever wanting out.”
I grimaced at that. Everyone was happy at the beginning of a relationship.
He held up a hand. “Just hear me out. I don’t want to go backward. I really don’t ever want to be in the position that I was just in ever again. I refuse to live my life like that anymore. I know these are just words, but they’re all I have. Trust takes time to build, and I want to put in the work with you. And for the record, I think Shelby knew I wasn’t happy, but was afraid to rock a sinking boat. If I know anything about you, it’s that you’ll never be afraid to put me on the spot and toss my ass right off the boat, if need be.”
A laugh escaped as I pictured myself hurling Frank off a small fishing boat and into the water. “You’re right. If I thought something was wrong, I’d ask you straight out. But you also have to know that I’d believe the answer you gave me, so you can’t lie to me about it.”
“I know. And I don’t ever want to.” He clasped the arms of his chair tightly and leaned toward me. “Listen, I know we started off on a rocky foundation and that’s all my fault. But if you’re okay with it, I’d like to start over. Start fresh.”
“How?”
“I’d like to take you on an actual date, for starters.” His confident smile lit up the whole room. “But I’m kissing you first.”
“Wh-what?” I stumbled on the words. “I haven’t ev
en said that I forgive you yet.”
He released the arms of his chair and leaned in close, his mouth mere inches from mine. “Do you forgive me?”
