But then work reached a new level of busy and he lost track of time.
What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he have texted her to tell her he’d be late? She’d been left wondering, and nothing good would come from that. River deserved better. He could call her right now, but that wouldn’t help. He needed to see her in person.
He needed to apologize.
A quiet sigh slipped past his lips as he made the turn onto his cousins’ property. If he was lucky, she’d still be up. If he was really lucky, she’d be willing to forgive him.
Mathew had made promises. And he’d broken them.
The echo of the door slamming shut reverberated through the night, reminding him of how alone he was—how alone he deserved to be.
His drive to speak to her came to a sudden halt when he stood in front of her door and lifted his hand to knock. River’s apartment was dark. Not a single sound or glow came from inside. She might be asleep.
Or she could be gone.
And he couldn’t decide which one was worse.
So that was why he knocked.
He rapped his knuckles on the door, then stepped back. When she didn’t immediately answer, he paced the small landing in front of her door. Then he gripped the molding that framed the door and hung his head, quietly praying she’d answer.
Mathew knocked again, louder this time. He’d been in such a hurry that he hadn’t even checked to see if her truck was there.Though that didn’t mean much. If she’d gone out with Rose and her friends, then she might not be home.
If that was the case, then he could call her.
The lock on the other side of the door clicked and his heart stopped beating at the same second. When the door opened, he held his breath. And when she came into view, he wanted to fall to his knees and ask for her forgiveness.
This was more than being absent-minded. This was about making a change. This was about bettering himself, and not only promising her that he’d be the man she deserved, but also promising himself that he wasn’t like his father.
And he’d failed.
“Hey,” he whispered.
She blinked at him, bleary-eyed. It was dark, but he could have sworn that her eyes were rimmed with red. Had she been crying? Shoot, she had been.
Mathew swallowed the lump in the back of his throat and reminded himself not to overreact. “I’m really sorry.”
She frowned, her arms folding as she stared at him, unspeaking.
“They asked me to stay a couple of extra hours because it was busy. I said yes, not realizing how long I’d be there.”
Something like understanding flitted behind her expression, but then it hardened. “A couple of hours meant you could have been here only a little late. You said you were working until six, and our plans started at seven. A couple of hours meant you could have been here by nine at the latest.”
He flinched even though there wasn’t any bite to her words. “You’re right.”
“So, what happened?”
“River…”
“What really happened, Mathew?”
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. “I lost track of time. The patients kept coming and I got wrapped up in taking care of them. It’s not an excuse,” he hurried on to say. “I just…” He opened his eyes and stared at her, praying she’d believe him. “I should have called.”
“Yes,” she muttered, “you should have.” The pain in her voice was almost enough to knock him to his knees.
Reaching out to her, he exhaled with relief when she didn’t pull away. His knuckle trailed along her jaw, and he offered her a sad smile. “Would you be willing to take a walk with me?”
If anything, River appeared to be stunned by his request. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she told him to go kick rocks. And if she had, he would have listened.
