Page 94 of Sweet Talking Man


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"Didn't take you long," she said, the hurt fuzzing the edges of her sarcasm.

"Come on, Abi. I don't move that fast. Daisy and I go way back. I needed to get away, okay?"

"It's none of my business," she said, moving around a library cart left in the hallway. She'd thrown her shoulders back, assuming that same no nonsense armor she'd had in place the first day he'd seen her in the office.

"Hey, Abs- "

''Abigail," she said, turning stricken eyes from him. He caught the sadness within the green depths and it made him want to sweep those damn boxes from her arms, pin her against the wall, and kiss the hurt away.

But he couldn't because he'd broken things off... and they were in the middle of the pre-K wing.

"I want us to be okay," he said.

She searched his face for a few minutes before her gaze hardened. "We don't always get what we want. I learned that long ago."

"So cynical."

"It's how it'll have to be. I can now see you were right. It was a good decision to stop. Finally, I’m thinking the way I should have in the first place.”

"What do you mean by that? You regret us?" Pain struck like a flash of lightning. She thought they were a mistake?

No wonder she'd readily accepted his suggestion for a break. Hadn’t even tried to talk him out of it. All along she'd had regrets... wished they hadn't started.

"I don't know." Abigail twisted the doorknob of the kindergarten room. "Look, I have to go. I think it would be best if we keep distance between us. We have the festival next weekend and after that it should be easier. Let's just get through this."

"I understand. I'll keep my distance," he said, nodding toward Mrs. Dyson's room, “just as soon as I deliver these for you."

He didn't wait for a response. Instead he walked into the room, flipped on the lights, and deposited the boxes on the nearest worktable. He wanted to get out of there before she saw the truth.

Fact was that after dodging all those women who had fallen in love with him in the past, he'd fallen for the one woman who didn't love him, who didn't think he was worth the effort.

Irony reallywasa bitch.

''Thanks," she said, without looking at him.

''No problem," he said, wishing things were different, half of him recognizing Abigail's coldness as a measure of protection, the other half too hurt to care.

Abigail regretted everything.

But why did he feel so devastated? After all, Abigail had hid him as if he weren't worthy and had been content to keep the relationship within the parameters of sex only. She hadn't wanted to try anything different. She hadn't wanted him beyond the bedroom, so maybe shewasright. Maybe they shouldn't have started at all because the ending was damn near crippling.

"Have a good one," he said.

But what he really wanted to say was "Why am I not good enough? Why can't you give me what you gave that dickhead Cal? Why can't I have your days and your nights? Why can't I have all of you?"

But he didn't say that. Instead he pushed out the heavy door as the bell rang, sending students scurrying around like cockroaches. Time to face the day and forget about his wounded pride and busted heart.

"Morning, Mr. Lively," called one student. Another called, “Hey, Mr. Lively. Bitchin' boots."

Leif waved and said, "Watch it, Mr. Salindas. Younger students will think it's okay to use that language."

"Sorry, Mr. L. I'll watch it," the high school senior replied with a shamefaced grin.

And thus began Monday morning at St. George's Episcopal School. Another day, another dollar, no room for regret.

ABIGAIL SPENTTHE morning faking happiness because to give fifteen four-year-olds anything less would be unfair.

By the time Muriel Dyson arrived to take over, Abigail felt as if she'd been ridden hard and put up wet. Her hair had fallen out of the bun she'd fashioned that morning, her sweater had a huge glop of glue right over her left boob, and a dull roaring headache had sneaked up on her. She'd like to blame it on the four-year-olds, but the tears she'd cried the night before paired with the pain at seeing Leif again were most likely the culprit.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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