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“You don’t?” he asked as if he was hearing me for the first time.
“No. I don’t. You’re a great guy,” I started again only to have him interrupt me, again.
“And you’re an incredible woman.”
“You’ve told me that already and I appreciate you saying it. Just because you’re a great guy and I’m an incredible woman that doesn’t mean that we’re right for each other.”
“Why not?”
“Tell me three things that you like about me.”
“Oh, um, okay,” he intoned.
I could tell I had thrown him by my question which was as telling as the fact that he thought I liked baseball not basketball. The more he talked about how great I was, the more I could see he didn’t really see me or know who I was. It was no way to have a relationship. I couldn’t understand why he wanted to be with me except that he could.
“You have beautiful eyes and hair and I like your smile.”
“Thank you, but what do you like about me, not just my appearance?”
“Um.”
All of our dates had been about him talking about his restaurant, his likes, and me being interested in them. It was as much my fault that I hadn’t tried to tell him anything more about me than superficial things, but I hadn’t really wanted to. I hadn’t cared. Bash might have thought we had something great, that we could be something great, and we might have been if I had given us the chance, but I hadn’t wanted to then, and I certainly didn’t now.
“It’s okay, Bash. It isn’t your fault. I got involved with you when I shouldn’t have. You were right, I was too busy with school, but I had wanted to have some fun and you’re a lot of fun. But with you being in Boston and me in New York, I can’t see this working out. Not in the long run and I can see that you’re looking for a woman to settle down with. One who will be willing to move her life to wherever you are if that’s what is needed.
“I can’t do that. I won’t do that. My family lives in the city. My niece is here. My life is here. Even if I don’t really know what that is yet. Even if we were the perfect couple and we did have all the same interests and goals, I couldn’t ever see myself moving away from my family or my life here.”
“Not even for me?” he asked, shocked.
“No. Not even for you. I’m sorry.”
“Why not?”
I put my head down, I had never had such a hard time breaking up with a man who I hadn’t even thought that I was dating. I couldn’t get how he couldn’t see that we weren’t going to work out. I frantically tried to find something, anything I could tell him that would get him to understand we weren’t going to happen when I felt a hand on my shoulder.
A chill went down my spine and my heart rate increased. I had no idea why, but I knew without a doubt MacKinlay Bennett was standing behind me. Embarrassment filled me as I worried that he had overheard Bash and my conversation.
“Mac. Hello,” Bash said.
I turned my head to see Mac staring down at me, his deep blue eyes intent on mine. I stared back and I was sure my mouth fell open. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t think, I could only look up at him and wonder why he was there and if he would help me.
“Hope,” Mac said.
He said my name slowly, almost as if it was a caress, and I felt it as such through my entire body. He smiled down at me and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He kept his hand on my shoulder and lifted his head to look at Bash.
“Bash,” Mac said, but with a bit more authority and even a bit of annoyance.
“It’s nice to see you but if you would excuse us, we are having a private conversation,” Bash said.
“I can’t do that,” Mac said. “I take it you aren’t aware that Hope is unable to restart a relationship or anything with you, as she’s already involved with me.”
Chapter 5
Mac
The words just came out. I wasn’t sure if it was a desire or a yearning or that it seemed like the easiest way to shut Bash up.
After my father had confirmed that Hope was indeed at the bar, she was all that I could think about. The meal with my father finished quickly as if he could tell that my mind was elsewhere. When he excused himself to go and talk to a friend, I told him I would use the restroom.
