CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
Mark was so miserable that even Bear didn’t want to be around him. She pouted in her dog bed in the corner, throwing him baleful looks from time to time, those ridiculously fluffy ears pinned back against her head.
He wasn’t enjoying his own company either.
The urge to cut ties in Haven and roam off somewhere new was strong. He’d never stayed in one place this long. Never planned to put down roots. When he’d first come back to Haven, it had been perfect. He, Ethan, and Ryan were living it up just like the good old days, only better this time because they were older and wiser now.
But Ethan and Ryan had settled down, fallen in love, and gotten married. And now Mark was getting itchy again. Maybe, in the not-so-distant future, he’d ask them to buy him out of Off-the-Grid and hit the road.
But that didn’t sound good either. Haven felt like home.Jessfelt like home.
He lurched out of his chair and went to the fridge for a beer.
Someone knocked on his door, and he heard the murmur of a female voice outside. His heart gave a ridiculous leap in his chest. He crossed the living room in about three strides and yanked the door open.
Gabby and Emma stood on the other side, smiling cautiously at him.
He just stared, absorbing the disappointment. Of course Jess wasn’t here. She wasn’t coming back.
“Mind if we come in?” Emma asked.
“Uh, sure.” He stepped back, watching as they walked inside.
They stopped in the living room to pet Bear, who’d come trotting over to greet them. Why were they here? Mark couldn’t remember either Gabby or Emma ever visiting his condo before.
Gabby turned and looked at him with a smile. “We couldn’t help but notice that you and Jessica both look miserable these days.”
“So we’re here to meddle a little bit on your behalf,” Emma added.
“No thanks.” He turned toward the door to show them out. He wasn’t interested in anyone meddling in his life, let alone Jess’s friends.
“Hear us out,” Gabby said, sitting on the couch so that he couldn’t kick her out. Emma walked over and sat beside her.
Dammit all.
“Jess has no idea we’re here, first of all,” Emma said with a guilty grin. “She didn’t send us, and she’d be super pissed if she knew we were here.”
That made two of them.
“She’s also super pissed atyou.” Gabby narrowed her eyes at him.
Well, this was going to be fun. He stood facing them, arms crossed over his chest.
“The thing is, you messed up by not telling her about this thing from your past,” Emma said. “But Mark, I’ve known you since we were kids. I know you had a tough childhood, and I’m guessing you had a good reason for keeping this to yourself so you get a pass on that as far as I’m concerned. But why didn’t you fight for her, Mark? Why did you walk away?”
“I don’t know.” And that was the truth. His skin prickled uncomfortably. He needed this conversation to be over, needed to be alone.
“Look, we realize you don’t have much experience with relationships,” Gabby said, leaning forward to wrap her hands around her knees. “So we’re here to try to help. Because when you get serious with a woman, she expects you to share all these important life things with her. She wants to be a part of your life, every part of your life. Keep her in the dark, even unintentionally, and she’s going to get her feelings hurt. She’s going to feel like you don’t trust her, or you’re shutting her out.”
“And we know you, Mark,” Emma said. “We know you wouldn’t hurt Jess on purpose. You’re used to keeping all this stuff to yourself because you never had anyone to share it with before. So, here’s another hint: Women are really emotional creatures, especially when it comes to love.”
Love?He’d never said…Jess had never said…
“The look on your face!” Emma giggled. “You may think you’re hard to read, but I’ve got your number, Mark Dalton. So, here’s the thing. If you were to, say, go to her and beg for forgiveness, she might be willing to listen.”
He shook his head. “I already went to her and apologized.”
“I know.” Emma’s smile was sad. “But you’ve got to do more than apologize. You have to tell her everything. Explain the whole story about this person from your past and why you didn’t tell her about it before. No detail is too small. Tell her what was going through your head when you walked away and how much you regret it now. Pour your heart out to her. Tell her that you love her. Beg her for another chance.”
