That went a small way in easing the betrayal, but that didn’t mean she would be so quick to forgive this time.There was the old saying: ‘Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.’She would not be so easily fooled again.
“You love him, June.”
“That doesn’t mean I should forgive him,” she repeated.
“Maybe make him work for it a little, but don’t hang it over his head.We guys tend to do stupid things around the women we love.”Like Liam keeping her a secret from Cora and causing their break up.“Just think about this: Can you live the rest of your life knowing you let him walk away, or will you always regret it?”
June hated it when her brother gave her sage advice.It wasn’t often, but every once in a while, he gave it.
“Then my work here is done.I’m headed home in the morning.”
“So soon?”He’d just gotten here.
“Now you want me to stay?”He chuckled, knowing the answer.“You two have some talking to do.I expect to see you next month.”
“Why; what’s next month?”
“Cora and I set a date.I’ll send you the official invite as soon as I get back home.”
“Finally?”she squealed excitedly.There was finally going to be a wedding.
“Finally.So, I expect to see the two of you there.”
“Deal.”
“Good, now go get him.”Liam nudged her even as she was already running down the street after Rob.
It didn’t take her long to catch up with him.He had been walking at a snail’s pace, looking like a sad lost little puppy with his head down and his shoulders slumped.
“Rob,” she called out.
He froze in mid step and spun around, his eyes widening in shock at seeing her.She saw the wet streaks on his cheeks from crying.He didn’t bother trying to hide the tears from her either.“Yes?”
June slowed down and stopped two feet away from him.“You hurt me and betrayed my trust twice now.”
“I know.”He looked downcast.
“You went behind my back and even disregarded the advice of others.”
Rob didn’t say anything.
“Do you regret it?”
“I do.Like I said, the knowing wasn’t worth the cost.I should have thought of that before I continued down the path, and when I got back from overseas, the knowing no longer mattered.Only you did.I could live with the secrets.”
“Do you swear never to do anything like that again?”His gaze rose to meet hers.A look of confusion in them.“Do you swear never to do a background check on me or anyone connected to me again?”she clarified.
“Yes,” he responded without hesitation.
She took a step closer to him but stayed just out of arms’ reach.“I will forgive you under one condition.”
“What?”he asked, looking eager to give her whatever she wanted.If she asked him to harm himself to prove himself, he probably would.Not that she wanted him to do that.
“Love me for the rest of my life.”
Rob reared back as if she had slapped him.“You’ll forgive me and give me another chance as long as I love you?”he repeated as if he needed the clarification.
“Liam helped me realize that I was just as much at fault for leading you to do the background check to begin with.Though I still don’t think that was the right way to go about things.”
