Flirting with Forever: A Hot Romantic Comedy(60)

Sophie: It really is.

Me: I just said I’m scared and by that I mean terrified. That’s not brave.

Everly: Of course it is. You need courage to face this fear.

Hazel: And maybe it’s time.

I closed my eyes. I knew they were right. I’d just made a terrible, terrible mistake and instead of owning up to it, I’d let Dex walk away. I’d given in to my fear, let my flight instinct take over. I’d run.

Letting out a long breath, I opened my eyes. Hazel was right. It was time I owned it. I didn’t deserve Dex, but he deserved the truth.

Me: I love you all so much.

Everly: We love you too!

Sophie: So much!

Hazel: You’re the strongest woman I know. You can do this.

God, they were going to make me cry. I swiped beneath my eyes, put down my phone, and went next door.





25





DEX





The knock at the door made me roll my eyes. Seriously, dude, I didn’t want the fucking Thai food. I’d told him to take it next door. Why the hell was he back? He could throw it in the trash for all I cared.

I opened the door, ready to give him an earful—I was not in the mood—but stopped. It wasn’t the delivery guy. It was Nora.

She met my eyes without flinching, those gorgeous blues full of feeling. Why did she have to be so beautiful? This whole thing would have been so much easier if she’d just been average.

But there was absolutely nothing average about Nora Lakes.

“Can I come in? Please?”

I nodded and stepped aside, then closed the door behind her.

There was something different about her. She crossed her arms over her stomach, gripping her elbows, and there was no trace of her usual saunter.

I wanted to be mad—and I had every right to be—but when she turned to face me, my first instinct was to scoop her into my arms and hold her.

The woman was killing me.

“I like you, too,” she said with a tremor in her voice, as if admitting that scared her.

My brow furrowed. “Okay?”

“A lot. I didn’t mean for that to happen, but you were right, it did.”

I seriously did not understand her. “Then why tell me this was all just sex to you? That it didn’t mean shit?”

“Because I’m scared.”

“Of what? You don’t have to be afraid of me.”

“Yes, I do. You have the power to break me and I promised myself I’d never give that kind of power to a man again.”

“What is this about? Is it because of your father? He cheated on your mom so now you figure that’s what will happen to you?” I let out a frustrated breath. “I’m not him, Nora.”

“I know you’re not, and no, it’s not about my father.” Her shoulders slumped. “Okay, I’m sure he’s part of why I am the way that I am. But that’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

She hesitated, as if she needed to work up the courage to speak. “I had a relationship with a married man.”

I gaped at her. “What?”

“I swear to you, I didn’t know. Please believe me. I would have never, ever been with him if I’d known. I was young and stupid and I should have figured it out, but I didn’t. I own my part in it, but please don’t think I’m a home-wrecker.”

“Okay.”

“I was twenty-two, just out of college. I took a job at an advertising agency in Seattle and he worked in the same building. He was older than me, already in his thirties, and he swept me off my feet. He seemed so dashing and mature, the kind of man who makes you feel like you’re the only one in the room.” She shook her head. “I was so na?ve.”

I took her hand and led her to the couch. It seemed like we should be sitting for this. I didn’t say anything. Just waited for her to continue.

“I fell head over heels in love with him, the way you only can when you’re young and stupid. I thought he loved me, too. He said it all the time, showered me with attention and affection. He even bought me a ring, Dex. I thought he was going to marry me.

“I walked around with that damn ring on my finger for six months. I told my family, my friends took me dress shopping. He didn’t seem to want to set a date but I didn’t notice that or any of the other giant red flags waving in my face.

“I should have realized it all sooner. We never went to his place. Ever. He said he liked my apartment better. He almost never took me out to dinner unless we were out of town and when he did, it was always somewhere outside the city. He met my friends, hell, he even met my mom. But I never met anyone in his life. Not even his co-workers.”

“How did you find out?”

“His wife.” Tears glistened in her eyes and she looked away. “She suspected he was cheating so she hired a private investigator. She knew everything about me. My name, where I lived, where I worked. She confronted me in the lobby of the building where we both worked. She had photos of me with him. Dozens of them.”

“Oh my god.”

“I had no idea what she was talking about. But obviously she had no reason to believe me. She just started screaming at me and threw the photos in my face. It was the most humiliating moment of my life.”