Duke lifted a brow as he held her gaze. “You remember that?”
“I have reason to.” A spark of unease flickered in her chest as she considered telling him about the twins.
“Yes,” he said softly. “I guess you do.”
The quiet moment stretched on—his gaze fixed on her—as Duke seemed to seek out that locked box in her heart.
As she held his gaze in return, the uneasy feeling gave way to something pleasant. Something familiar. A sense of longing that had her wanting to hand over the key.
She welcomed the stirs of warmth and desire. It’d been a long time since someone had tapped into them.
The job, Viv. Focus.
The inner voice was enough to snap her out of her musings and drop her gaze. With the pen in her grip, she drew an arrow pointing toward the twin comment.
“I’m going to ask you more about that one later. What do you consider to be your biggest regret?” She made a few scribbles on the notebook’s edge as she waited for his reply. Yes, she recorded her conversations, but she liked taking notes too. It helped her remember which parts she wanted to focus on or perhaps dig into later.
But as the pause in his reply dragged out, Viv glanced up at him.
Duke’s brow was tensed, his face brooding, and those eyes fixed on her in a way that said she already knew the answer.
“Are you sure you want to document it?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if losing you is my greatest regret, would you publish that fact?”
Heat pooled around her heart once more, stronger now. The truth was, Viv had known that she was Duke’s biggest regret a year after the breakup. He’d told her, and she’d believed it. At that point, she was dealing with a major regret of her own.
Still, she hadn’t guessed that ten years later his answer would be the same.
“Dinner is served,” Tiff said as she entered. “Italian combo on sourdough for you,” she said, sliding a platter toward Viv. “And your Diet Coke.”
Viv was first to break their gaze and glance down at the food.
“Your favorite, Duke,” Tiff added as she slid his plate before him. “With a spiked seltzer. And here’s your extra deli mustard,” she said to Viv with a wink. “I love this stuff too.” She took a step back from the table. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
Again, Viv was struck by the informal manner between Duke and Tiff. It was refreshing, to say the least.
“Not for me, thank you. Viv?” he asked. “You good?”
“Nothing more for me. This looks delicious. Thank you.”
“Of course.”
“Let’s um…go ahead and eat,” she suggested. "We can pick back up on these questions later.” She tapped the pause button on the recording.
“Vivi,” Duke said, voice low, even, and thick with unspoken words.
Viv lifted her gaze, reluctantly as it might be, to meet his. Her heart skittered out of beat as she recognized that repentant expression.
“Losing you…” He searched her face before fixing his blue eyes back on hers. “Itisstill my greatest regret.”
She wasn’t sure how many beats her heart skipped that time. Viv gulped, dropped her gaze, and tried to sift through the comment. Her initial reaction came from the needy girl within. The one that wanted to be wanted, especially by the man who’d hurt her so many years ago.
But that wasn’t the only voice. A different one spoke up too. One of frustration, irritation, anger. The same voice that reminded her of his comment about the single mom. He wouldn’t want who she was now. He wanted who she was then. And it was too late for that.
“Why?” Viv blurted.
