He smiled. "I'm here to get my girl back. We had an argument, and you know how women can be. She overreacted, and now she's ready to listen. Isn't that right, Rosie?"
Her body tensed again, and my protective instincts rose.
"Overreacted? Let's see if that's the word the police use when they catch up with you. I'm pretty sure harassing and threatening someone over a cellphone is a federal crime."
"I didn't?—,"
"You did, and we have the proof, or we did until we handed it over to the police."
He sat up straight and glared at Rosalee. "You wouldn't do that. They won't believe you."
"They will believe me, though, won't they?" He knew who I was; I was sure of it. "I assume that's why you sent the photos—to break us up. Well, it didn't work, and now you need to go back to Florida while you can."
His gaze narrowed, again in Rosalee's direction. "When he dumps you, don't come crying to me."
She met his gaze head-on. "I wouldn't dream of it. Not in a billion years. Goodbye, Jason."
I gripped her shoulder tightly in a sign of pride and solidarity.
It was short-lived, however, once the Jason problem was gone. Rosalee shrugged off my touch and glared at me. "Thank you, but you can go now."
Chapter 32
Rosalee
"I could go, but I won't. Not yet. I spent the past hour searching for you." Xavier's gray eyes seared through my body, and with him so close, his heat caused beads of sweat to form along my hairline.
His proximity was having a familiar effect on me, but I was determined to be strong. He couldn't just stroll in here looking good enough to eat and utter a few words to get me to come back. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "It must be the day for the ghosts of boyfriends past." That comment was uncharacteristically bitchy of me, but Xavier only tensed. "Not that you were ever my boyfriend."
Xavier winced as if I'd smacked him. "I deserve that, Rosalee. I know it. I haven't been my best since you came into my life." He twirled a lock of my hair around his finger.
I leaned away from him. "And that's my fault?"
"No," he groaned. "You, with your sweetness and your sunshine, your bright light, just knocked me off kilter, and I've been trying to right myself ever since."
I sucked in a breath at his words.Snap out of it,I told myself and shook my head. "Don't try to sweet-talk me, Xavier. You hurt me, and you can't just erase that."
"I know," he growled and stood up, putting distance between us.
My heart clenched that he was ready to give up so easily, to just walk away when he had been looking for me.
But he took the seat Jason had vacated, and his molten gaze slammed into mine. "I'm so damn sorry, Rosalee. Truly." He shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his face. "I played right into his hands, didn't I?"
"Yeah, you did. And you did it with ease."
Xavier's broad shoulders fell forward. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but you're right." A heavy sigh rushed out of him. "This isn't an excuse, but Judy, Violet's mother, stopped by while you were out."
I gasped. "She wants Violet?"
He smirked. "Even if she did, that ship has sailed. Worse, she wanted money to help cover the lie she told her husband-to-be. I was pissed off and boiling with rage when I saw those photos, and then you came home and I felt like a fool. I took out my anger at Judy on you, and that was a dick move."
His honest assessment surprised me. "It was," I agreed, my heart racing. "Why didn't you just tell me that?"
"I don't know. I fell back on the old insecurity of people only wanting me for what I have."
"Ugh, you make me so mad!" My shouted words caused a few diners to stop eating and throw confused and slightly irritated looks at us. "I haven't asked you for one damn thing other than the truth, other than for you to try. Nothing tangible, nothing with any cash value."
"I know," he answered in a low whisper.
