‘You could say that,’ she confirmed, feeling a bit sheepish now for being too cowardly to fill him in herself.
‘I’ve been trying to call you, Hannah,’ he said then, his voice growing softer, causing her to look up at his face, still covered in bruises. His eyes sparkled like emeralds.
‘I know.’
‘You haven’t called me back. Never even replied to my messages.’
‘I know,’ she repeated. What else could she say?
‘I’m so sorry for what happened, I know I should have controlled my temper and shouldn’t have made a scene. I embarrassed you in public and made things hard for you, I recognize that. But no way could I stand by and watch you being pushed around like that. Can you accept my apology?’
Hannah took a sip of her coffee and then wiped her palms on her jeans. Her hands were sweating. She did not want to have this conversation with Ward. There was no way she would get out of it with her heart intact.
‘You know, my friend, who I’m meeting, he’s likely to be here any second...’
‘Do you accept my apology?’ he pressed. ‘Honestly, Hannah, I know you and Kendrick have a history, but...’ Then he trailed off. ‘I know I don’t have any right to ask and your relationship is none of my business, but I just need to know, after everything, are you OK? With him I mean?’ She’d still been glancing at the door, but his heartfelt tone brought her back to the present. ‘You’re important to me,’ he continued earnestly. ‘Your happiness is important to me. And now I’m worried that I put you in a difficult position.’
‘Well, it wouldn’t be the first time, would it?’ she remarked, the words out before she could stop them, but catching sight of his expression she relented. ‘I was just teasing. I get that your intentions were pure. You were just trying to be the good guy – no, youarethe good guy.’
Ward leaned forward in his seat, waiting for her to say more.
Taking a deep breath, she added, ‘Yes, I forgive you.’
Of course I do.How the hell could I not when you’re looking at me likethat?
‘Thank God,’ he said softly, emotion thick in his voice. He puthis hands on the table and Hannah had the sudden urge to cover them with her own but knew that would be wildly inappropriate. Yet somehow the mood between them had shifted, something had intensified, and she glanced at the door again, now wishing that Ed wouldn’t show up after all.
‘Anyway,’ she said, her voice becoming light as she realized she needed to wrap this up, ‘all’s well that ends well. Rob got what was coming to him. Your career is going to be fine, better than fine, since the whole world now adores you.’ She smiled and then added, ‘I just hope you and Shelley are—’
‘I amnotwith Shelley,’ Ward interjected quickly. ‘Let’s clarify that once and for all.’ Hannah furrowed her brow, suddenly confused. She opened her mouth, additional questions on her tongue, but he stopped her. ‘I have never been with Shelley,’ he said, his tone measured, searching her face for a reaction. ‘She’s my personal trainer, a friend who agreed to come to the ceremony as my plus one after you pretty much strong-armed her into it that day here. You assumed we were together for some reason... Youcreated that narrative.’
Did she? Hannah searched through her memory trying to put the string of events in order, and realized that he was right.
‘I was happy to go along with it, though,’ Ward admitted. ‘I was embarrassed after that night in the park and ashamed too. Especially when you’d told me you were with someone, with Kendrick.’
‘But I wasn’t, I mean we’d split up by then but it was all a bit messy and confusing still and then he turned up at my place unexpectedly and …’
She felt herself start to ramble and truly hoped that Ed didn’t decide to show up now because at this point it would be a seriously unwelcome intrusion. She got the sense that she and Ward were onthe verge of something important, and she needed an answer to her next question.
‘Why?’ she asked, her voice no more than a whisper.
‘Why what?’
‘Why did you want me to think that you were with Shelley?’
‘Because I was afraid, Hannah. I already crossed a line that night in the park. And I was terrified of losing you, not as my publicist or a friend but …’
Her eyes met his and she knew without a doubt that he was telling her the truth.
‘Oh...’ she breathed as the weight of his admission weighed on her heart.
Then Ward stood up. ‘How late is your friend running?’ he asked, suddenly changing the subject so fast that her thoughts spun back to the present. She’d almost forgotten she was here to meet someone else.
‘Quite a bit to be fair.’ She too looked absently at the door.
‘Well, I guess I’d better get going. Again, I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. Just know that I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and I wish you didn’t need to leave. I especially hope that my actions haven’t caused you to want to do that. You’re a special person, Hannah, and you deserve so much better than someone like Kendrick.’ She nodded, unsure what to say, and Ward continued. ‘I’m sure that the guy you’re waiting for knows how lucky he is to have you in his life.’
‘Apparently not since he’s decided not to come after all,’ Hannah mused, a little let down, but also somewhat relieved that Ed hadn’t appeared.
