Texts from her sister.
Voicemails fromher father.
I didn’t read or listen to them but I can only guess what they said.
Where are you?
Are you okay?
Are you with him?
Because they all know where she is and even if they don’t know for sure, they probably have a pretty good idea that she’s with me andwith meis somewhere she shouldn’t be.
Easing myself out of bed I got dressed in the same jeans and T-shirt I wore here and went downstairs. Bought Millie some clean clothes to wear because I knew that the thought of doing the walk of shame in the same dress she wore last night would probably give her a panic attack. Nothing fancy—a dress and some shoes. Underwear. And a new phone to replace the one I broke.
I was going to charge it all to the room but decided that I didn’t like the idea of buying her things with another man’s money so it all went on my credit card. It’ll mean Ramen and peanut butter for a few months. No Thai from across the street and no work lunches at Barney’s but I don’t care.
I can live without pastrami and potato salad.
What I can’t live without is Millie.
As much as I wanted to, I didn’t stick around. When I got back upstairs, Millie was still sleeping. I charged her new phone while I gathered up the suit I wore last night and stuffed it back into its garment bag. While it was still charging, I added my phone number to her contacts. I know she has my number already. She called me the day before the wedding but I added it anyway, just to make sure.
After scribbling out a quick note, telling her that even though I’m gone, that I wasn’t leaving. That I love her. Want her and that was never going to change—I left. Didn’t wake her up to tell hergoodbye. Didn’t kiss her or linger in the doorway, watching her sleep because I knew if I did any of those things, I wouldn’t leave. I’d pull off my clothes and crawl back into bed with her and it would take a full-blown military operation to get me out if it.
So, instead, I put everything she needed within easy reach, called the concierge and ordered her breakfast, all of her favorite things because I knew she wouldn’t, and I left before I couldn’t.
“Mercer.”
Looking up when I hear my name, I see Conner sprawled in a chair, like the fucking Godfather, waiting for me in one of the small seating areas peppered throughout the lobby. Even though talking to him is the last thing I want to do right now, I redirect to aim myself in his direction.
“Jesus, don’t you have anything better to do,” I ask irritably, coming to stand in front of him.
“You mean anything better than watching you make your walk of shame?” Con gives me one of his dimple-popping grins. “Trust me, there are about a hundred places I’d rather be but duty calls and all that shit.” The smile on his face cools considerable. “You’re sneaking out on her.”
“I’m notsneaking,” I gripe back, even though that’s exactly what I’m doing. “If anyone issneakingit was you, last night, when you put us in the same goddamned room, you meddlesome bastard.”
The grin makes reappearance. “You’re welcome.”
“You’re an asshole.”
Flattening his mouth into anaren’t you adorableexpression, Conner gives me a one-shouldered shrug. “I know.”
“Did you actuallywantsomething,” I ask, swiping a rough hand over my face. “Or are you just here to slut-shame me?”
“Yeah,” he bobs his head. “I want to know if mymeddlingpaid off. Did you talk to her?”
“Yes.” Nodding my head on a sigh, I drop my hand. “I talked to her.”
“Then why are you sneaking out on her?”
“I’m not—” Shaking my head, I look down at him. “I told her how I feel. I told her what I want. That I love her and am willing to take her, any way I can get her. I told her—but I can’t make her believe me, Con.” Saying it out loud kills me because I know that there’s nothing more I can do. All I can tell her is the truth and hope that she’ll find her way back to me.
Quiet for a long moment, he looks up at me from his seat, before he answers me. “Alright.” Bracing his hands on his thighs, Con pushes himself up. “I’m going to New York to talk to her dad on Monday,” he tells me. “I want to get this shit over with.”
“Good.” Giving him a quick bob. “So do I,” I tell him before I turn around and make my way out the door.
FIFTY-NINE
