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Tess sighed. “Fine.”
He locked the car behind her and started down the nearest path. Around them kids shrieked, adults jogged, and a group of twentysomethings played Frisbee golf. Unlike the lush privacy of Audubon Park, City Park was more open, with a golf course, several playgrounds, tennis courts and even a small amusement park. And there were lots and lots of paths to pound while examining the ups and downs a gal’s life took.
For a long time they walked, side by side, footfalls falling soft.
“How am I supposed to be angry at him?” Tess said finally.
“Good question.”
“You’re not much help, you know.”
“I’ve pretty much screwed up every relationship in my life, Tess. I’m not here to give you advice.”
She stopped. “What are you here for?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure. To be your friend?”
“To be my friend?”
“We can be friends, can’t we?”
“I don’t know. For two people who don’t really know each other, we sure have a lot between us.” She fell in step beside him again.
For several more minutes they walked without talking. Arriving at a small pond, Tess veered off the path and sank down onto a bench. Graham settled beside her and they both contemplated the water buzzing with dragonflies, lined with lanky irises.
“I feel empty. Numb,” Tess said.
Graham sat down, clasped his hands and said nothing.
“You sort of suck as someone to talk to.”
At that, he laughed. “I told you. No good with advice.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I did call you. I’d been thinking about you all morning. The whole time I was with Emily, I kept thinking about how much I love her and want to protect her. And then I thought about you and Frank.”
“I don’t mean today. I meant after our night together.”
“Oh, that,” he said, staring down at his clasped hands. “It’s hard to answer. I can say a lot of things about why I didn’t, but I suppose I’m embarrassed by the real reason.” He looked out at the pond and said nothing more.
“I shouldn’t have asked. Don’t know why I keep bringing it up. Guess it seems so unlike you. Jeez, the thing is I don’t know you well enough to even say that,” Tess said, shaking her head. “I’ve got way more important things to think about, don’t I? A new job and my father dying. Yeah, my plate’s sorta full right now.”
“Come back to Ullo.”
Tess stiffened. “What… what do you mean?”
“You need to be there. It’s where you belong.”
“You’ll step down?”
Graham made a face. “I can’t step down—I need the job.” He glanced away from her, hiding any vulnerability.
“My father doesn’t need me at Ullo. If he did, he would have appointed me the CEO. He would have given me what I have worked so hard for. In case you didn’t get the memo—I’m not wanted.”
She might as well have added “and you didn’t want me, either,” but she had to let that hurt go, had to stop clinging to the sucking wound in her pride… to the idea she wasn’t worth the effort. Why did she hold her fist so tight around Graham’s rejection? Did she really think love had blossomed between them?
Stupid.
