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“She’s practically the reason I’m who I am today. I wouldn’t be here today if she hadn’t given me that scholarship.”
I push away the laptop and rise with my arms wrapped around my body. Fall has arrived in full swing, but it has nothing to do with the cold surrounding me.
She wants me back, for Amber’s sake. She wants us to be a family again because she feels Amber desperately needs it.
Gareth’s words pierce my heart like shards of broken glass. Even if Amber isn’t in the picture and Linda wants her ex-husband back, what right do I have to keep sleeping with him? If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have met him.
I sit on my sofa and curl on it like a baby in its mother’s womb. Tears pour down my face as I wish I hadn’t gone snooping. I wish I hadn’t discovered this heartbreaking piece of information.
What do I do? I can’t give up this beautiful thing I have with Gareth. I can’t.
But what about Amber? a small voice asks.Do you want to deny a young girl the chance of having her parents back together again and having a balanced family?
I scoff. Gareth said nothing about agreeing to Linda’s proposition.
Don’t you think it’s because you’re in the picture?
But I don’t think I’m the reason for Gareth not wanting to get back with his ex-wife. After all, I just came into the picture.
Developing a relationship with Amber has made everything even more complicated.
But I love Gareth. When he wrapped me in his arms the previous day, I realized that he means more to me than only a passing fling. I want him for keeps. I love looking at him, talking to him, listening to him. Everything about him is wonderful. His smiles, his laughter, his frowns, his scowls, his silence, and his moodiness. I can’t bear to imagine my life without him. But it will be unfair to continue an affair with him when his ex-wife wants him back. It feels like sheer betrayal and selfishness on my part when she was kind to me in the past.
I should never have given in to the temptation and started sleeping with Gareth. I should never have allowed my heart to get into it.
Sobs wrack my body at the knowledge of what I must do. How do I move on without Gareth? How do I work with him knowing how much I love him and want to be with him?
But am I getting ahead of myself? Gareth has never mentioned anything permanent with me. He might enjoy sleeping with me, talking to me, and working with me, but that doesn’t mean he wants me for keeps.
I cry myself to sleep on the sofa that night, torn between letting go of Gareth and doing the right thing.
By morning, I know I have to do what’s best for everyone, especially Amber.
CHAPTER16
GARETH
Something is wrong.
Instincts tell me that something happened to Hailey since I left her place last night. She’s not acting her usual self, and I’m worried. Not only did she not come to my office to bestow her radiant smile on me, which she usually does every Monday morning, but she has also been avoiding looking in my direction since the meeting started. I hoped she’d come to my office before the others. I want to ask her why she isn’t picking up my calls or replying to my text messages since last night. But she came into the office along with the other members of the election project team and has not once looked my way.
Did I say or do something wrong? I kissed her goodnight, and she responded with a smile.
What happened? I got home, took a shower, and called her, but she didn’t pick up. I texted her, but she didn’t reply. Assuming she was already asleep, I went to bed. I called and texted her again before coming to the office with still no response from her.
Irritation gnaws at me. Linda used to do this all the time. I would go to bed with Miss Sunshine and wake up next to an ice maiden.
Immediately, I stop myself from comparing them. Hailey is nothing at all like Linda.
Thirty minutes into the meeting and I realize her iciness toward me isn’t my imagination. She’s all smiles with the others. When I ask her questions about the project, she gives me frosty monosyllabic replies. I don’t have the time for this drama. We have to put the finishing touches on the project for its launch on the weekend. I must speak to her after the meeting.
It is, however, hard to get on with the meeting without noticing the way Brad Mortimer is flirting with Hailey. She’s doing nothing to discourage him. I grit my teeth, hoping my façade of indifference is still in place, even though I want to snap at the two of them. Must he offer her a pen with that glowing smile? Must she accept it with a shy smile and push back a strand of her glorious hair? Lovely hair that had been spread across her pillows yesterday morning while I pushed into her, and she murmured my name repeatedly.
Pull yourself together, Gareth!
It takes everything in me not to bark at them, but I carry on with the meeting as if they didn’t exist. I can only hope no one has seen me glancing at them with fury.
At last, the meeting comes to an end, and I’m happy we’ve made good progress and will meet the deadline. My eyes narrow to slits when Brad helps Hailey with her chair, and she gives him a charming smile. Have they always been this chummy, or did Hailey plan this to get me jealous?
