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It was ridiculous, the way he was actually holding his breath, hoping she’d stay. That he would be able to spend a little more time looking at her, remembering how she felt in his arms.
“I’d love to but I’m afraid I’m already running a little late for my dinner date.”
And like that, the breath he’d been holding was pushed out, as if someone slammed him in the stomach.
Of course. It’s Saturday night. She wouldn’t be sitting at home alone. Not someone as beautiful and full of life as Payton. Just, dear God, don’t let it be Brad.
Benny gave him a look, as if expecting him to say something, but there wasn’t anything really to say, so he watched as Benny and then Daisy squeezed Payton good-bye. His mother and father reached the bottom of the stairs as she was about to start up.
His father looked surprised as he saw her, but there was something in his mother’s eyes as she looked at her and then over at Cruz, that told him she knew very well Payton was here. Judas.
“Payton, we’re sorry you have to go,” his mother said and grabbed the woman in a hug. She released her and her smile turned to a frown. “Just watch yourself on the roads. It looks like a snowstorm is coming in soon. Cruz?” His mother looked at him in disapproval, her brows furrowed. “Can you please make sure Payton gets safely to her car? It’s getting dark out there.”
In about an hour, he wanted to say, but instead nodded and extricated himself from Becca’s clutches. Becca started to say she’d be happy to go along but Benny interrupted her, asking if she’d help finish the task of stuffing the votive holders that Payton had abandoned.
He was well aware of the dozen eyes that watched their ascent, probably wishing they could find a way to eavesdrop without being obvious. They reached the landing and walked across to the door. He opened it before she could, and warm air rushed in, the kind that usually precedes a big snowstorm.
Stepping outside, he looked around the lot for Payton’s car. He could see it now, nearly hidden under the trees. He waited at the top of the porch while Payton searched in her purse.
“I’ll be fine, Cruz, if you want to go back inside. I don’t need a chaperone.”
The breeze lifted her hair and it flew around her head, framing that sweet familiar face. She raised her eyes at his, green and lustrous, and it actually caused him physical pain to know she had almost been his.
“Found them,” she said and held her keys up. The wind was whipping at her jacket and she clutched it closed, trying to tuck a strand of hair flying wildly in front of her eyes behind an ear. “Bye, Cruz. Take care.”
Then she turned and was down the porch steps and nearly running toward her car. As if running from him, although he knew it was more from the blustery wind than from him. He was almost certain.
“Payton, wait,” he called out, not sure what had moved him to do so. He just didn’t want to see her running away from him again.
She paused as she reached her car door and looked back. Without hesitating, he bounded down the stairs after her.
“I just wanted to say…” Hell. He didn’t know. Maybe…don’t leave. Don’t walk away from me again. Please, let’s give us another try. See where this thing we have can take us. That together they can overcome anything. But those were words for the movies. Not real life. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. Sorry the way things ended like they did. And…I hope you’ll be happy.”
She bit her bottom lip, her eyes looking almost wild for a moment but then she turned away and opened her door, sliding in, her face still hidden.
He did want her to be happy. Even if it wasn’t with him. “Take care, Payton.”
“Thanks, Cruz. You too.” Then she slammed the door shut and started the car. He backed up, giving her room.
And he watched her drive down the road, away from him. Again.
Payton only made it to the beginning of the trees, Cruz’s figure still visible in her rear view mirror, before the tears came. Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again.
When he’d called out to her, her heart had risen to her throat, hope building that maybe he was going to stop her. Insist she stay with him. Tell her that he loved her.
But instead…he’d said good-bye.
It became impossible to blink the tears back, and instead she let them trail down her
face all the way home. But they were quiet tears, not the soul-wrenching sobs that she’d shed the week before. Tears that accepted that things were over. What other choice did she have?
Chapter Nineteen
Cruz popped the top from his second beer and took a pull. He was sitting in the kitchen of Daisy’s new place—Kate’s old house—as the kids yelled in laughter from the other room where his Aunt Glenda had a game of Twister set up. Daisy and Benny were across from him, Benny wolfing down half the bowl of guacamole that Daisy had whipped up. Dominic, who’d just arrived, hunkered down in the chair next to him.
Now they were just waiting for his parents to arrive. He had something he wanted to show them all together. To make it all worthwhile.
“Where’s Kate? Are you telling me that five days after you get back from your honeymoon she’s already finding you too much to stomach?” Cruz asked his younger brother.
