Part 16 (1/2)

”Sure, I'd like that,” he said, giving me one of his panty-soaking grins.

I melted. ”Okay, good.” This felt good. It felt right.

”I'll see you later, then.”

”Later.”

I didn't understand why I was so nervous. I sat in my apartment, waiting for Mitch with a flock of b.u.t.terflies swarming in my stomach. Maybe the risk of finding out the truth kept me on edge. Confirmation of him cheating on me would put the final nail in the coffin of our relations.h.i.+p, and despite Ike's sage advice to take chances in love, I didn't think I could come back from yet another betrayal.

Part of me felt embarra.s.sed by my display at work. If it wasn't evident to Mitch that I had deep feelings for him based on my reaction to this situation, he hadn't been paying attention very well. I rarely lost my mind, yet I'd freaked out so badly, almost every person I worked with had noticed.

More so than all of that, there resided a thrill of excitement deep within me that had me feeling hopeful. It was powerful and raw and so unexpected, but it was more present than anything else churning in my heart and mind. Hope that I had misunderstood and we could be together again. Hope that the future by his side I'd painted in my head could not only be possible but a reality. Hope that Mitch hadn't betrayed me but that he loved me, too.

A knock at the door stopped the breath in my throat. After a few moments, I took the first step toward my answers.

”Hi.”

”Hey, you look beautiful.” Mitch stood there with those dark eyes and that s.e.xy smirk.

”Thanks. Come in.” He took a few steps into my home and the familiar smell of his cologne sparked memories of heated nights between the sheets. I'd missed him more than I'd allowed myself to admit.

”I didn't know if you'd eaten, so I picked up some takeout on the way home,” I said, gesturing toward the table in my makes.h.i.+ft dining area.

Mitch pulled off his thick leather coat. ”Um, sure. Sounds good. You didn't have to go to the trouble, though.”

”No trouble. I just wanted to do something nice for you. Try to make up for my behavior.”

”Well, I appreciate it, but you still didn't have to.” He sat down at the table, and I followed his lead.

”I know.”

”How are you holding up after today? You looked pretty shook up.” Mitch served himself a healthy helping of curry.

”I'd just been talking to him, you know? I don't think I'll ever get used to that happening.” The horrible events flashed quickly through my mind, pausing on the kind eyes of my elderly psychotherapist. When his heart stopped, mine broke to pieces.

”I'd hope not. It comes with the territory, working in emergency, but I'd hope we'd never become apathetic when somebody's close to dying.”

”I think I'd have to switch careers if that happened.”

”Me, too.” A couple moments of silence lapsed as we enjoyed our food.

Finally, I had to put it all out there. ”I'm really sorry for not returning your calls.”

”Yeah, what was that about?” Mitch set his fork down, giving me his undivided attention.

I followed suit. ”I was at the restaurant having lunch with Mandy. I saw you on your date,” I said plainly.

Mitch had left my apartment that morning after a wonderful night with a promise to call me as soon as he finished a lunch date with his college roommate, Gary. I'd spent the morning in my bed with the sheets still smelling of him, reliving every second of our time together. My best girlfriend's call broke me out of my reverie, and after heavy coaxing from her, I made a plan to meet her for lunch around two.

The moment I saw him, my blood turned to ice in my veins. Mitch sat across from a beautiful blonde who laughed and cooed at his affections in a private booth in the back. I ignored Mandy's questions as I watched him.

Nothing could've prepared me for that shock, not even my experience with Jonathan, who paled in comparison to Mitch in every sense of the word. I trusted Mitch more than I trusted John from the very beginning, yet I found myself in an achingly familiar way. I had to escape.

That night, I ignored his phone calls. I didn't answer the following day, either.

Now, Mitch knew why I'd avoided him for so long. And though I had hoped it had been a misunderstanding, the fact that he hadn't jumped in to explain had that small inkling of hope recessing back into wishful thinking.

”I'd just figured you didn't want to tell me for some reason. I mean, I know that we'd only been seeing each other for a couple months and we'd never really talked about being exclusive. It just surprised me, and I didn't know how to handle it.”

”Christine . . . the woman I was out to lunch with is my friend from college. Her name is Garie.”

”What?”

”That was her. She's been my best friend since we were at Cal Poly, and she was in town for the weekend. Look, see?” He handed me his phone to show me the contact card of Garie Pealson and the avi showed a picture of Mitch and the same blonde I'd seen with him at the restaurant.

”But you said Garie had been your roommate.”

”She was. We shared a studio our junior and senior year. She's like a kid sister to me.”

”Oh.”

”I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about making sure you knew she was a woman.” Mitch stood from his chair and came to kneel beside me. ”I mean, I thought I had. I guess I'd never realized it might cause a problem before.”

”No, it's not a problem. I just a.s.sumed . . .” I thought he'd found something with someone else.

”You a.s.sumed I was like John.”

I looked up at him, blinking away the tears. ”Yes.”

”I'm sorry, baby.” Mitch picked me up from the chair and pulled me close to his chest. ”I didn't think.”

”No, I'm sorry I didn't talk to you.” I let all the emotions go I'd kept locked away inside me. My body wracked with sobs, causing Mitch to hold me closer. ”I let my insecurities cloud my j-judgment.”

”Anyone would have, baby. I'm so freaking sorry.”

”But you are nothing like John,” I told him, and meant every word of it. He had a sweeter heart, a kinder disposition, and he treated me so well.

”You're right, I'm not.” Mitch brushed the hair away from my face and cupped both cheeks. I stared up at him. ”I love you, Christine.”

”You do?” My lip trembled.

He smoothed the pad of his thumb over the soft skin to calm me. ”Very much.”

”I love you, too,” I cried, throwing myself into him. He felt so good, I found myself desperate for the warmth and the security his arms provided. The reality of what I'd almost done hit me hard. Due to my stupid pride, I'd almost allowed a misunderstanding to come between me and the man of my dreams. Mitch hadn't lied to me. The doubt and second-guessing had been my undoing. That had been the lie.

”Stupid pride,” I mumbled against his s.h.i.+rt.

”What?” Mitch laughed, pulling back to look me in the face.

I smiled. ”Nothing. Just kiss me.”