Part 38 (2/2)
She smiled and wriggled against him. ”You're welcome.”
The words hovered on the tip of her tongue, the words she'd never said to a man before. But she couldn't say them, because he hadn't said them to her and she didn't know how he felt.
Coward.
Yeah, she sure was.
But she still wasn't sure if what she felt was real, or just a moment of pa.s.sion.
So she let them go unsaid, and drifted off to sleep.
TWENTY-FIVE.
TY HAD THE PLAN ALL WORKED OUT. AFTER TODAY'S afternoon game-which they'd won, thankfully-he told Jenna he had a surprise for her. He loved the excitement he'd heard in her voice.
He hoped she was as excited as he was about this. It would be a new beginning for both of them. He was nervous as h.e.l.l, had never contemplated doing anything like this with any woman, but Jenna wasn't just any woman.
She was the woman. He knew it, he felt it, and he'd never been more sure about anything in his life. She was worth the risk.
She'd come to his game, and knowing she was there had meant everything to him. After all, this was the woman who'd hated sports and had vowed to never get involved with a guy who played them. If she could take the risk and change her way of thinking, then so could he.
He swallowed past the nervous lump in his throat and hoped to G.o.d he didn't screw this up.
He gave her the address of the place. He was parked out front, waiting for her when she drove up. She got out, wearing a dress, tights, and those s.e.xy black boots with the spiky heels that never failed to make his d.i.c.k hard. She b.u.t.toned her coat and ran toward him to give him a kiss.
”What is this surprise?” she asked, looking at the building.
”You'll see.” He'd gotten the code from the real estate manager so he could show it to Jenna without the guy bugging him while he talked to her.
He unlocked the keypad and opened the door, turning on the lights and letting her in.
”It used to be a combination bar/restaurant,” he explained as she walked in. ”It closed about six months ago. It fits your parameters for s.p.a.ce and location.”
She gave him a quizzical look. ”I don't understand.”
”You could rip out the current bar here,” he said, leading her inside. ”Put the stage you talked about in the center here. There's already a great kitchen. Come on, I'll show you.”
She grabbed his wrist. ”Wait. What are you talking about?”
”Your music club.”
”What music club?”
”The one you want to open. The second Riley's. If you don't like this one, I've got two others lined up to show you.”
”You've got...You went looking for locations for a club?”
He grinned and shoved his hands in his coat pocket. ”Yeah. Isn't this s.p.a.ce great? I have to admit this one's my favorite, but the others aren't bad. Wait till you see the kitchen. And there's plenty of electrical.”
Her smile died. ”No.”
”What?”
”No.”
”You don't like this place? That's okay. We can go look at the others.”
”I mean no. To all of it.”
His stomach tightened. ”Why?”
”I don't want any of this, Ty. If I'd wanted a club, I'd go looking for locations on my own.”
Irritation spiked. ”Okay. You don't want my help.”
”I don't want to do this at all. Quit pus.h.i.+ng me.”
”Right. Because G.o.d forbid you should move forward with your life.”
She lifted her chin. ”What the h.e.l.l is that supposed to mean?”
”Exactly what I said. I was trying to help, to show you some great places so you could take that step forward, take a shot at having what you really wanted.”
”That's a lot of presumption on your part.”
”Is it? We've talked about this for months. You know this is what you really want.”
”If it's what I really want, and that's a big if, I'll do it on my own. I don't need you to help me. I don't need you for any of this.”
He'd been wrong. About her, about everything. All this time he'd spent trying to help Jenna, trying to coax her into finding her own happiness, and she was throwing it back in his face. All the plans he'd made, a.s.suming...
That's what he got for a.s.suming she felt the same way he did.
”You know what, Jenna? You're right. You don't need me. You don't need anyone. You never did.”
She lifted her chin. ”You're right. I don't need you or anyone else trying to push me into something I'm not ready for. I'm tired of everyone nudging me, trying to force me into this. Just stop it. I like my life the way it is, so leave it alone.”
Tears glistened in her eyes and the fear was so evident there he wanted to hold her, but he was angrier at her than he was sorry for her.
”That is such bulls.h.i.+t. You hate your life the way it is, you hate being stuck behind that bar, but you're too d.a.m.ned afraid to do anything to change it. You were afraid to go out with me, afraid to fall in love with me. Well you know what? I was afraid, too. You've met my parents. You know that story and you know how their marriage failed. The last G.o.dd.a.m.n thing I ever wanted was to fall in love. But you know what? I did anyway. I fell in love with you.”
Her eyes widened, but he refused to acknowledge it. ”And you know what happens when you fall in love with someone? You want to help that person. You want that person to grow. You want what's best for them.
”All you've done is keep me at arm's length the whole time we've known each other because you're afraid. Well I'm f.u.c.king tired of tiptoeing around your fear. So you win. I'm done.”
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