“Thank you,” I said as I took the bag of ice and placed it on my ankle.
“You should probably keep it elevated, too.”
I nodded.
“I’m sorry.” He took a step back. “I’m out of line. You know how to take care of yourself. You don’t need my advice.”
“But I appreciate your help.” I met his navy-blue eyes. “Especially after everything.” A part of me welcomed my injury. I couldn’t help but feel I deserved to feel pain as a punishment for the way I had cruelly treated this man when he was a child.
Pete let my comment slide.
Lauren broke the awkward silence. “How about I get you both a drink?” she asked brightly.
“Thanks, sweetie.” I squeezed her hand. “I think I’m going to call it a night and head home.” I glanced at Pete. “He’s right. I should stay off this foot.” I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. “I’m going to call an Uber to take me to the train station.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Lauren’s eyes bulged. “How do you think you’ll be able to navigate your way around Penn Station in the shape you’re in?”
“Good point.” I rubbed my forehead. “I didn’t think that far ahead. I guess I’ll take an Uber home.” I did some quick math. Between the trip to the salon, the new clothes and shoes, and now, door-to-door transportation home, this evening that lasted under two hours, cost a small fortune. And what did I have to show for it? An embarrassing moment and the miserable realization I had made someone’s life a living hell. I should never have let Sydney get into my head. I should have followed my instincts and stayed home working while watching Netflix and eating take-out Indian food.
As I was about to confirm my ride, Pete placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “Wait.”
12
When I left my house,I had hoped I’d make a grand entrance. Instead, I made a memorable exit. Lauren’s husband and Pete helped me out of the party. Well, help was a bit of an understatement. The two six-foot plus men practically dragged me out of the ballroom to the elevator as Lauren trailed behind holding onto my purse and shoes.
Once we reached the ground floor, the lobby was packed with tourists and their enormous suitcases.
“This is crazy,” Pete muttered under his breath. Without warning, he scooped me into his arms. He carried me out of the building and then gently deposited me on the curb where I waited with Lauren and Gary. While he retrieved his car from the nearby parking garage, Lauren was bursting at the seams to grill me. Fortunately her spouse, who sensed my pain, kept her inline.
When Pete pulled up to the hotel, Gary helped me inside the vehicle while Lauren approached the driver’s side and spoke to Pete. Before he pulled away, I waved goodbye to my friends. Then I faced Pete and said as I fastened my seatbelt, “I appreciate you driving me home and everything.” I swallowed hard and added, “I don’t deserve your kindness.”
“You’re right. You don’t,” Pete said gingerly. I expected to hear a twinge of cruelty in his voice, but there was warmth instead. He offered me a slight smile as he pulled the SUV away from the curb. “I’m heading the same way, so it’s not a big deal. It’s strange how we ended up living in the same town again, don’t you think?”
I tilted my head. “Oh. I didn’t know we were neighbors. I thought you only worked there.”
“Nope. I moved into my house about five years ago. I used to be with the NYPD but transferred to the village’s police department a couple of years ago.”
“Wow,” I said, slightly taken back. “It must have been a bit of a culture shock making the change. I’d imagine your new job is far less exciting than your old one.”
Pete glanced in his rearview mirror as we approached the tunnel. I probably was reading too much into the situation, but it appeared to me he had regret in his eyes as he watched the city disappear. He snorted. “Yep, it’s like night and day. I miss the adrenaline rush of my old life, but my priorities shifted. I wanted to be closer to home. I’m less than half a mile away from you.”
“Wow. We reallyareclose,” I said as I studied his profile. “I feel much better knowing I didn’t drag you completely out of your way, but still… You didn’t have to leave so early. You should have stayed and enjoyed yourself.”
He gave me a half-hearted smile. “I was glad to have an excuse to get out of there. The problem with going to a school reunion when you had been the class outcast is there is nothing left to say after a few pleasantries. No one was interested in speaking with me back then, and they weren’t interested in speaking to me now.”
“I’m sorry.” I twirled a strand of hair around my finger. “I feel horrible I put you through what I did. If I could go back in time and change how I behaved, I’d do so in a second.”
“I’m sure,” he said skeptically. “We can’t change the past, though. We can only move forward, which is why I offered you the ride.”
My heart beat a bit faster as I momentarily forgot about his wife. “What do you mean?”
“I felt like I owed you a kindness. I realized tonight I might have gone atadoverboard in my quest for revenge.”
“You think?” I snickered.
I stretched in my seat and caught sight of a car seat in the back next to where he tossed his tie and suit jacket. “You have a child?” I asked. For some reason, I was surprised.
His features softened as he pulled down his sun visor and handed me a picture. In the moment, the maneuver reminded me of my father. He had always kept a photo of my sister and me in the same spot. “Yes, a little girl, Clara. She’s four.”
