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Staring at…her?
“She has nothing to do with this,” Matt replied.
Me?
“Bullshit,” Patricia scoffed.
“You’re looking for excuses that don’t exist,” Matt replied wearily.
“Is this because I suggested we get married?” Patricia asked.
Liza sucked in a quiet gasp. Married?
“You see a much different future than I do, Patricia.”
Patricia laughed, though there was no humor in the sound. “You’re wrong, Matt. Everything I offered you is exactly what you want, what you need. You’re making the wrong decision. And one day you’re going to realize it. I suggest you figure it out soon because I wait for no one.”
“I’m not asking you to wait,” Matt said softly, though Liza wasn’t sure Patricia heard, considering she’d already started walking away. Liza tracked the angry stomping of the other woman’s heels across the marble floor.
She remained hidden, out of sight, listening for Matt’s retreating steps as well.
Luck was not on her side tonight.
“You can come out now,” he said.
Great. Busted.
She stepped around the pillar. “I didn’t want to interrupt.” As far as excuses went, that was probably the lamest.
And Matt called her on it. “So you opted for eavesdropping instead.” He didn’t sound angry. In truth, he sounded like she felt.
Exhausted.
Numb.
Done.
Just fucking done. With everything.
Liza moved closer, looking at the bright red mark on his cheek, shining out even through his beard.
“She slapped you?” She fought not to roll her eyes at herself. Of course she did, Captain Obvious.
“Yes.” Matt didn’t bother to touch his cheek. “I will admit she’s not the first woman to slap me.”
Liza couldn’t resist. “I suspect she won’t be the last, either.”
The edges of Matt’s lips twitched and for a second, she thought she might get a real smile out of him.
It wasn’t that he was a humorless bastard all the time. She’d seen him smile on a few occasions, but it was never directed at her.
“You broke things off?”
Wow. She was batting a thousand on the stupid questions.
Matt nodded.
“Because you were staring at…someone?” If she wasn’t running on fumes, she never would have asked that question. But he’d thrown her for one too many loops tonight. She was off-balance, and she hated it.
