“It didn’t, but Kaitlyn finally met her match with your wife. It was beautiful to watch.”
“I bet.” I wish I could have been there to see it.
Gia’s eyes opened slowly and she looked from me to Danny. “Joel? When did you get here?”
I stood up, leaning in to kiss her lips gently. “Just a little while ago, baby. I would have been here earlier, but I couldn’t get a flight out last night.”
She gave Danny a quick once-over. Her voice was raspy when she asked, “Have you been here all night?”
“Yeah. I thought I’d keep you company until this guy showed up.”
“Thanks.”
I poured her a glass of water from the pitcher by her bed, helping to prop her up while she took a sip.
“Well,” Danny said, standing. “Now that your husband is here, and I know you’re going to be okay, I should see if I can catch a flight.” He winked at Gia. “My beautiful fiancée can’t wait to see me.”
“Tell her I’m sorry you had to hang back and hold my hand,” Gia said, wincing. “I promise I’ll make it up to both of you when I’m feeling better.”
“No worries, beautiful.” He kissed Gia’s forehead. “We have a lifetime to spend together. One night won’t matter.”
I envied him. I wish I could be so certain I would have a lifetime with Gia.
“A couple of your friends stopped by this morning,” Danny said to Gia. “Deanna and Briar. They said they’d come back later.”
“Thanks.” She held his hand, looking into his eyes. “For everything, I mean that. You’ve been a really good friend. I don’t know how I would have gotten through these past couple of weeks without you to talk to about…” She glanced at me. “Stuff.”
“My pleasure.”
I met Danny at the end of the bed, realizing Gia wasn’t the only one who owed him a debt of gratitude. He’d been there for her when I was too stupid to man up and I owed him for that. Extending my hand, I said, “Thanks for staying with Gia… and for everything.”
He shook my hand without hesitation, smiling. “Happy to help, man. If it was my girl, I’d want to know she wasn’t alone.”
We watched him leave before I turned to Gia. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, baby. I should have been.”
“Why, Joel?”
My heart started racing. The way she was looking at me, like I’d let her down, made me wonder if she’d been planning a trip to L.A. because she missed me or because she was ready to cut me loose and wanted to do it in person.
“Why what?”
“Why did you leave? Why didn’t you call or text or…?” She shook her head. “Why did you just give up on us?”
ChapterSeventeen
Gia
Joel stared at me so long I feared I wouldn’t like his answer. “Well?”
“Because I’m a stupid sonofabitch, that’s why.”
He ran a hand over his hair and it was then I noticed the glint of his wedding band. At least he was still wearing it.
“No, you’re not stupid. So, what’s the real reason?” My head still ached from the fall, but not as much as my heart. The man I loved was sitting within touching distance, yet we’d never felt further apart. “Second thoughts about us?”
“Jesus, G.” He heaved a sigh. “How can you even ask me that?”
“What am I supposed to think? You bailed on me. You couldn’t deal with your ex—”
