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Even though I’d already anticipated her answer, the response I received forced my body to tense.
It was as though there was some naïve part of me that was hoping I’d read the situation wrong, that I’d made more out of her silence and the look on her face than was necessary. If only I had been wrong about it.
I wasn’t so lucky, and I hated that.
Because I couldn’t imagine what could have happened that set this in motion. I had thought we’d had a great time tonight, and it was clear I’d gotten it all wrong.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, my voice gentle.
“I got you all wrong,” she rasped, her eyes getting wet.
I didn’t know what I thought Rhea was going to say, but that certainly hadn’t been it. I couldn’t quite say I understood what her words meant, either. So, along with being slightly confused, I was also worried, because Rhea seemed to be terribly upset and clearly had a loose hold on her emotions.
“I don’t understand,” I informed her.
I could have sworn I saw a wave of embarrassment wash over her expression. “I was so wrong, Wyatt, and I feel awful about the way I judged you. I’m so, so sorry for the way I treated you, and I’m hoping you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
It was strange to feel a mix of conflicting emotions. Part of me felt relieved that there hadn’t been anything specific that I’d done to her tonight to upset her, while the other part of me was upset she was so worked up that she didn’t need to be. “I don’t need any apologies, Rhea. It’s okay.”
Shaking her head, she insisted, “It’s not. I feel horrible.”
It was easy to think back to that first day I met Rhea—hell, even those first few days we went running together—and understand how she could feel the way she was feeling. I understood completely what she was apologizing for, but there was one thing I didn’t understand. “What brought this on? Where is this coming from?”
Rhea pressed her lips together, and I could see just how hard she was struggling not to break down into tears. “Your family might be bigger than mine, but it feels the same.”
“What?”
“I could feel it,” she began again. “The way you all are with one another reminds me of the way it is within my family. We’re all so close, and there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other. And when you came into my ice cream shop more than a month ago, I had you pegged for a ruthless businessman. I was so sure of myself, and every day since then, you’ve done nothing to substantiate my judgment. I’m sorry, Wyatt. I’m so sorry for thinking you had it in you to be that kind of man.”
A single tear rolled down her cheek, and the sight of it caused my gut to clench. The thought of something happening to make this woman feel so heartbroken made me want to burn the world to the ground. But since the way Rhea was feeling was all the result of her own mindset, the next best option would be to scoop her up in my arms and hold her until she understood I didn’t hold any grudges.
I reached out and swiped away the tear with the pad of my thumb and said, “I promise I’m not upset with you, Rhea. There’s nothing for me to forgive, because you didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t want you to feel bad about any of this.”
My hand was still cupping the side of her face, and when I finished speaking, Rhea pressed her cheek into my palm. What she didn’t do was respond to anything I’d said.
Needing to be sure she knew just how serious I was about the way I felt regarding the whole situation, I pressed, “Do you understand what I’m saying to you? Can you promise me you won’t continue to allow this to upset you?”
“I’m really sorry,” she whispered.
Offering her a sympathetic smile, I said, “I can appreciate how and why you’re feeling the way you do, but you need to know that it’s nothing to be sorry for. I loved it.”
Shock washed over her. “What?”
“You weren’t wrong to believe that I’m the kind of guy who is accustomed to being able to get what I need or want in business,” I started. “It’s who I am, and who I’ve always been. I do what needs to be done to get the task accomplished. Or, at least, that’s the way it has always been until I walked into The Sweet Landing. For the first time in my life, it wasn’t easy. Heck, I didn’t even accomplish what I’d initially set out to do, and yet, this last month has been one of the best of my life. I adore your personality and determination. I’ve had a wonderful time getting to know you, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not hoping to turn this thing between us into something more, so I can learn everything there is to know about you and your beautifully stubborn heart.”
Rhea’s lips parted slightly, a look of disbelief washing over her expression. “Wyatt,” she said softly, her voice barely a whisper.
My hand still on the side of her face, I stroked my thumb tenderly across her cheek. “I don’t care that you gave me a hard time when you first met me. I enjoyed every encounter I’ve had with you since then, and the only thing that matters is that you now realize I’m not a bad guy.”
She nodded her head slowly. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m glad I finally figured it out. I think I need to show you something.”
“What?”
“Tomorrow. If you’re free tomorrow, I’d love to have you come back to my place, so I can show you something that I hope will help you understand part of the reason I’ve been the way I’ve been,” she clarified.
A rush of air left my lungs. I hadn’t wanted to react so obviously, but this felt like such a pivotal moment for us. Everything I’d said to Rhea had been the truth—I loved every minute of time I’d had with her—but there was no question I’d felt like a private investigator trying to crack the biggest case of his life when it came to learning things about Rhea.
“My schedule could have been packed tomorrow, and I’d cancel all of it to spend more time with you, Rhea,” I replied. “Fortunately, I don’t have to go through the hassle of doing that, because I didn’t have anything else on my schedule. I’d be more than happy to come back tomorrow to see you and whatever you want to show me.”
