A Mess of a Man (Cruel & Beautiful #2)(105)

The knock at the door isn’t much of a surprise. I’ve been a hermit over a week and I’m shocked it’s taken this long for my sister to do a follow up.

Only when I open the door, Jeff and Mark stand on my stoop. Jeff holds up a six-pack of beer and I step back to usher them inside.

“Damn, man. What happened to you?” Jeff comments before flopping on my sofa.

“Sorry we showed up unannounced,” Mark says, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I give him a weary smile and nod as Mark sits in the chair. Part of me isn’t up to company. But there’s a part of me that misses having someone I can confide in that’s not my sister or Cate. I take a chance and sit on the opposite end of the couch.

“I f*cked up,” I confess.

Mark and Jeff trade glances.

“This has something to do with a woman. The cute event planner I’m guessing,” Mark says.

I nod, feeling her loss as much as the finality of Drew’s death.

Jeff lets out a long-winded sigh, but I don’t care. “You know we are about to cross into * territory talking about women the way they talk about us.”

Shrugging, I say, “You walked into this shit pile. I didn’t ask you to come.”

“Yeah, because I thought your old man gave you hell about how you handled things.”

I scrub a hand over my face. “Actually, he gave me a promotion.” They both gape. “It doesn’t matter. Not coming into the office will end that career move.”

Mark gives me a sympathetic smile. Jeff, on the other hand, wears a clownish expression with wide eyes and an open mouth.

“You’re going to let a pair of tits ruin your career.”

He has no idea how close to the truth he is, except the tits in question ruined my relationship. Pushing my hair out of my face, I meet his gaze. “She’s worth far more than that.”

Silence takes over until Jeff leans forward and starts passing out beers.

“You two f*cks have caught the * virus and there is no cure. I’m glad I’m immune to that shit.”

“Jeff, let it go,” Mark says sullenly.

“How’s the bitch?” Jeff asks him.

“She’s not a bitch.”

Jeff has the decency to look startled. “Really, after everything you’ve told us?”

“I haven’t told you everything.”

Jeff throws an incredulous gaze my way before asking, “So, what did you do?”

The story unfolds from my mouth like a badly constructed paper airplane destined to crash mid-flight to the ground.

“Damn,” Jeff says. “That’s messed up.”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious.”

“What have you done to win her back?”

“Outside of her sister threatening to call the cops on me?” He nods. “Flowers, paid for a housekeeper, food, a massage.” I toss up my hands. “I don’t know what else I can do.”

“Did you tell her how you’re feeling all * whipped?”

I roll my eyes knowing what he means, but not rising to the bait.

“She’d likely delete any e-mail or text message I send without reading it.”

Jeff shakes his head. “Write her a note or something. Women eat that shit up.”

“You know what, you might have an idea there,” I say to Jeff.

“How’s her business holding up with her being out?” Mark asks, drawing our attention to him. “What?” He shrugs. “She’s probably going to be out of work for a while.”

Several beers later, a crazy plan forms in my head. After they leave, I sit at my desk with a pen in my hand and a blank piece of paper before me. I stare a long time, before I put the pen to paper and begin.



Sam,

I could say sorry, which I am, but that does nothing to erase the pain I caused.

I could tell you how much I love you, but it’s meaningless because I wasn’t there when you needed me most.

They say love is blind, and in truth I was blind to how much you meant to me until I let you slip through my fingers.

The days are long and the nights cold without you. Please don’t give up on me. I know we are meant to be together.

If you give me another chance, I promise to be the man worthy of you.

I know now that all I need is you. The alternative means a solitary existence for me.

I once told you I believed you were the brightest star in the heavens. I still believe that, only now without you, my life is lonely and dark—nothing but a black hole.

There is no one else on this earth for me.

B~



I slip it in an envelope addressed to her, but hold off on sending it. I have a few things I need to do before first. In the morning I make one of two necessary calls before my plan falls in place.

“Dad.”

“Ben,” the pause is so thick, and I’m too sluggish with my response. He beats me to the punch. “Do you plan on coming into work today?”

“Actually, I’m going to take a leave of absence.”

Silence. I hear my neck crack as I straighten my spine.

“I’m sorry to do this. But there is someone who needs me.” Even if she doesn’t want my help.

“What about your workload?”