“I found a ride home because you were being an ass. Anything else I can help you with?”
There’s a pause.
Then he clears his throat, seemingly flustered. “Did you receive the flowers?”
“I did.”
Another pause. Like he’s waiting for me to gush over them or fall at his feet.
The bouquet is absolutely beautiful. But I don’t tell him that. I also refuse to tell him that this is the first time anyone has ever gifted me flowers. I don’t want to give him the impression that I’m folding.
Lincoln finally speaks again. “I messed up the other night. I’d like the opportunity to take you on another date.”
“So you can disrespect me again? I think not.”
More silence.
I can feel his panic coming through the phone line. He’s stressed. He’s sweating.
His voice goes tense and urgent now as he attempts to salvage our deal. “Look, Jules. I know you’re mad at me, but you can’t back out of this wedding. It’s important to both of us, and I don’t want anything ruining it. There has to be some way we can work this out, and I’m…I’m…I don’t know what you want me to say to make things better.”
Pacing around my room, I scoff out loud. Clueless, clueless man.
“Need a hint? It starts with anS. There’s anO, twoRs, and aYin there, too. There. I’ve pretty much spelled it out for you.”
“An apology? You want an apology?” He sounds incredulous.
I know, right? Requiring a man to apologize? Crazy work.
When I don’t respond, he sighs. “Fine. Sorry.”
“Try again. That didn’t sound sincere,” I retort.
“Are you serious?”
“Certifiably serious.”
He sucks a harsh breath into his lungs and then his voice drops to a deep, smoky timber that vibrates across the phone line. “I, Lincoln Gregory Raines, apologize to you, Julissa Mei Lannister. I am deeply sorry for the way I behaved and for the upset that I caused you, darling. Now, I’ll do what it takes to redeem myself and get back into your good graces.” His voice goes lower. “I’ll be a good boy. For you.”
My toes curl inside my socks.Holy shit. That was kind of…hot.
But I can’t cave. I can’t let him off so easily.
“Can I get that in writing? Notarized, maybe?” I poke at him.
“Jules…”
“Fine. I accept.” I drop onto my mattress and scowl up at the ceiling. “But you can’t behave like that again, Lincoln. Sure, we can disagree about some things. But that doesn’t give you a pass to treat me like shit.”
“That’s a completely reasonable expectation,” he says softly. “The way I handled the situation wasn’t respectful. I’ll do better.”
His humility throws me off balance. I hadn’t been anticipating it, honestly. I’d been expecting him to keep arguing his case.
There’s a part of me that wants to keep fighting with him and pointing out all the ways that he was wrong. But instead, I feel a warm sensation unfold around me like a blanket.
Then, I hear the most shocking words coming out of my own mouth. “And for my part, I shouldn’t have kept pushing when you asked me to drop the topic of your ex-wife. I’m sorry for that.”
What?! What the hell was that?!
