“It was especially tough for Paul.Jeff was his only child, and they were as close as any father and son could be.”
Cole was quiet as they approached the outskirts of town and turned off the familiar road that led up the hill to the duplex.
Lesley’s gaze studied him as they drew closer.She loved this man, but she was losing him, might already have lost him.
“I love you,” she whispered, feeling a crazy kind of desperation, not knowing what else to say or how to express herself.
“I could never doubt that.”Cole’s hand found hers on the seat beside him and gently squeezed it.Keeping his eyes on the road, he raised her hand to his lips and tenderly kissed her palm.“You’d have to love me to stand these past months.”
Lesley felt all her hard-fought-for poise slip away from her.She had to talk to Cole, make him see the uselessness of this thing with Jennings.
When Cole parked on his half of the driveway, Lesley told him, “I put a casserole in the oven before I left.I hope you’re hungry.”
“That was a very wifely thing to do,” he teased her affectionately.
“I was just practicing.”
“Good.”
“I only have three days to fatten you up and add some color to your face, and believe me, I’m going to take advantage of every one of those days.”Three glorious days; she’d waited impatiently, circling the weekend off on her calendar.She’d felt like a child on Christmas Day when she awoke that morning, knowing Cole would be arriving.
“Honey,” Cole said thoughtfully, stopping her from opening her car door.“I’ve been meaning to say something, but I didn’t want to until it was necessary.”
“Necessary?What?”A feeling of dread came over her.He was here; nothing else should matter.
“I can’t stay as long as we’d planned.I have to be back early Sunday morning, which means I’ll have to catch the plane tomorrow night.”
With forced calm, her eyes wide with shock and hurt, Lesley turned and met his gaze.His eyes were pleading with her to understand.He didn’t want to leave so soon, but it was necessary.
A tightening sensation gripped the muscles of her stomach into a cold, hard knot.The pain was so intense that she couldn’t speak for several seconds.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Cole pleaded.
Numbly Lesley shook her head.“I can’t help it.”She opened her car door and blindly walked into her apartment, leaving the screen door open.
Cole followed her inside.
Lesley stood in front of the sliding glass door in the kitchen,her arms cradling her stomach.Her lungs took in deep breaths of oxygen as she struggled to hold back the emotion.
“I know you’re angry and I don’t blame you,” Cole said from behind her.Gently he placed his hands on her shoulders as if he wanted to ease the hurt but wasn’t sure how.
With a trembling smile she turned to face him.“Cole, sit down.We need to talk.”
His eyes met hers, and he gently brushed a curl from her forehead.“This sounds serious.”
“More serious than any discussion I’ve ever had.”She led him into the living room and sat him on the couch while she remained standing.
“Do you remember what I told you about Paul?”
“Mr.Christian and his son?”His look spoke plainly of trepidation.
She paced across the floor.“Yes.I know this is going to be difficult for you to understand, but hear me out.”
He attempted a grin.“Is it necessary for you to pace back and forth like that when you tell me?”
“Yes.”She nodded curtly.“I’m afraid it is.”Taking in a quivering breath, she continued.“Everything I’ve done in my life—all that I’ve experienced, each delight, every difficulty—has made me what I am today.”
Cole looked confused.
