Tumble (Dogwood Lane #1)(80)

The magnitude of the situation slams against me. I almost drop my suitcase. “I do.”

“Why aren’t you skipping out of here, then?”

“What if he doesn’t take me back?” I look at him and he laughs. “I’m not kidding, Frank. What if he hates me?”

“He won’t.”

The anger in Dane’s eyes the last time I saw him flickers through my mind. My heart squeezes so hard I’m afraid it’s going to stop pumping. “I don’t know. He’s pretty mad at me.”

“I’d be mad, too, if you were my girl and you left me for a stupid job in New York. But let me tell you something about men.”

“Okay,” I say as we head to the door.

“Men get angry and loud and bristle because we don’t know how to be vulnerable. We’re so afraid of losing position and getting hurt that we try to make ourselves seem invincible, even if it’s only ourselves we’re kidding.” He pulls the door open. “Go to him, Neely. Be honest. Lay it out there, and I promise you, he’ll take you back.”

“I hope so, Frank.” I step into the lobby and almost fall on my face.





CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

DANE

It all happens in slow motion. One second, I’m trying to ignore the receptionist’s comments about how “sweet” my accent is. The next, the door is opening.

Every cell in my body tunes to the doorway where a balding man who looks like he’s on the verge of a heart attack stands. He’s talking to someone I can’t see. I don’t have to see her, though, to know it is Neely.

I’m on the edge of my seat, eyes glued to the doorway. My mouth goes dry as I try to remember the little speech I prepped on the plane a few hours ago. I went over it time and time again. Now, when I need it, it evades me.

Her voice is soft as it filters into the lobby. I stumble to my feet, running my hands down the pants I wore last night as I wait for her to come into view.

It takes far too long to happen, but when it does, it happens fast.

She steps through the doorway, looking at Mr. Heart Attack. She says something I can’t hear. Finally, she turns toward me.

The smile falters on her lips as her gaze finds mine like it always does. I take a step toward her and she trips. Catching herself on the edge of the receptionist’s desk, she blows out a breath.

And then whips her head to me.

“Neely.” I gulp, coming to her side. “Just hear me out.”

I can’t read the look on her face. It’s a mixture of fear and embarrassment and more sadness than I care to admit.

Please, God, let this work out. I’ll never make her feel this way again.

“Dane—”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I came all this way with all these things to say. And I can’t even remember them all, and I left my notes on the plane.” I scratch my head, trying to get myself together quickly before she can tell me no. “I can’t do this again. I can’t. Everything is wrong now that you’re gone.”

“Dane—”

“And I realize I might be embarrassing you right now in front of your boss and coworkers, and I hope they will know this is a reflection of me and not of you. I’m the crazy one. Crazy about you.”

“Oh my gosh.” The receptionist clutches her chest. “I can’t even with this.”

Neely’s eyes water, the lights above reflecting off her eyes. I feel wetness gathering at the corners of mine too. As hard as it is to stay calm, I have to. This is my one chance to fix every mistake I’ve ever made. My one shot at getting every piece of my life back together.

“I never should’ve let you leave. I should’ve manned up and told you flat out how I feel. Maybe it wouldn’t have changed things because I know who you are. I know how much this job means to you.”

“Dane,” she says. “Listen to me.”

“Just let me finish. Please,” I beg. “I want you to be happy and to get everything you want out of life. But there has to be a way to do that with me and Mia. I know you love us, Neely. I know you love us as much as we love you.”

I swear Mr. Heart Attack mumbles something along the lines of “I told you,” but I let it go.

Taking a step toward Neely, ignoring the audience we’re beginning to attract, I take her hand. “I’m sorry for being a dick when you told me you were leaving.”

“Will you listen to me?” she asks. She sniffles back a laugh, squeezing my hand.

“No. This is my moment.” I bite my lip to keep from saying anything else for a moment because if I do, I know I’ll cry like a pussy. “Life isn’t about playing it safe or playing the odds. If I listened to either of them, I’d be home right now. But an old man came by the house late last night and asked what I was going to do about you leaving. I had flights pulled up but hadn’t pulled the trigger. Mia had gone to bed, and Haley was on the couch.” I look up at the spectators. “She’s the nanny, just clarifying.”

The lobby rolls with laughter from the five or six people watching. Neely sets her briefcase down and takes my other hand in hers.

I don’t want to think this might be working, but it damn sure feels like it. My heart pounds in my chest as I go in for the kill.