As soon as he’s gone, I turn to Travis.
“I’m so sorry,” he says immediately.
“You’re sorry?” I shake my head. “He’s the one that should be sorry. God, what an asshole.”
“Yeah, but I’m used to it, and you’re only here because of me.” He searches my face. “I was scared I’d never see you again and now here you are.Whyare you here?”
“To stop you from doing something stupid like having dinner with your dad. Why areyouhere with your father after everything he’s put you through?”
“I thought maybe I needed to fix things with him so you and I could move forward. I know how important family is to you. And knowing you lost yours makes it all the worse. Mine is alive and I don’t talk to them. What does that say about me?” He runs a hand through his hair.
My heart aches, and I could almost laugh if it weren’t so tragic.
“Travis.Husband.” I scoot closer and place a hand on his cheek. His brown eyes meet mine, lost and sad. “Your dad is a prick and from the sounds of it, your mom is too.”
He lets out a rough chuckle. “No shit.”
“They don’t deserve you or your time. Not a second of it. You don’t owe them anything, and you certainly don’t have to force a bad relationship with them to prove anything to me. I know who you are. You’re a kind, generous,goodman. I don’t love the guy you could be. I loveyou.”
My admission doesn’t make him smile like I hoped.
“I fucked up. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the inheritance and that I paid your fees after I said I wouldn’t. No, actually, I’m not sorry about the second thing. I wish I were, but I’m not. I’m sorry it hurt you and I could have given you a heads-up, but the truth is I would have found a way no matter what your answer had been. I can’t stand by and watch you struggle when I have the means to help. And I don’t know how to reconcile that. I love you more than anything and I’m so afraid I ruined everything.”
I frame his face with both hands now. “I was mad and hurt and…scared.”
He nods, lips pulling down at the corners.
“When I found out my fees were paid and I thought I landed a new sponsor, I couldn’t wait to tell you. I knew how proud you would be of me.”
“I’m already proud and youwillfind a sponsor. I believe that with every fiber of my being. It’s why I want so badly to help you. You deserve it more than anyone I know. You are so fucking talented, and you work hard. The people who have overlooked you are going to be so fucking sorry they did.”
“I know you did it for the right reasons, but it’s still hard for me to accept. I’ve taken care of myself for a long time. It’s almost a defense mechanism. If I don’t let other people take care of me, then I don’t need them. And if I don’t need them, then it won’t break me when they leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Not if you don’t want me to. When I married you I was ready to spend forever with you, and I still feel that way. And I didn’t just pay your fees. I paid all the girls at the gym’s fees. And I want to set up a scholarship for other women in sports. The difference in pay is bullshit. I’ve been able to support myself from the beginning. I want other people to have that too. But especially you.” He takes a breath but then keeps going. “You’re incredible, Hannah. I know I’m biased, but I still know it’s true. I’d rather you have the opportunity to chase your dreams, even if it costs me my chance to be with you. And there’s one more thing. I want to pay for Wren’s semester in Italy. She’s my sister too, at least for the time being, and I never had one of those before.”
There’s a stubborn tilt to his handsome jaw.
“What do you mean if it costs you your chance to be with me?”
“I assume this is over.” He can’t quite look at me as he says it.
God. He truly believes that. “You stubborn, unbelievable man.”
His brows lift as he locks eyes with me, and hope etches into his features.
“I’m not going anywhere, okay? Except home.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” I reassure him. I can see his dad returning to the table, so I stand. “Get whatever closure or peace you need from your dad, but do it for you, not me. I know the man you are. You’re my husband and I’m not ready to give up on us.”
His features relax, and a little of Travis’s normal happy expression resurfaces.
I face Gene. “Your son is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Despite all your efforts, he turned out to be a hell of a lot better man than you could ever dream of being. I promise to treat him with more love and care than you did.”
I should probably throw in anIt was nice to meet you. OrHope to see you again.But neither of those things are true so I don’t.
Travis laughs then covers it with a cough. He stands too. “We’re going to head out. Thanks for stopping by. It was a good reminder.”
