Until We Touch
Page 37
He took the dress off the hanger and unzipped it. Then he stepped into the god-awful ruffled pink dress and stuck his arms through the small sleeves.
It barely fit. There was no way he could have zipped it, but that wasn’t the point. This wasn’t a fashion show, this was a statement of intent. He opened the conference door, walked across the hall and entered Taryn’s office without knocking.
She was standing by the window, looking out. Her suit was fitted and she was barefoot. He saw her ridiculously high heels by her chair.
“Taryn?”
She didn’t turn, but he saw her stiffen.
“Go away.”
“No. I won’t do that. Not now and not ever. I’m sorry about what I said before. I’m sorry about what happened. Resigning wasn’t wrong, but there were a lot better ways to handle it.” He paused to draw in a breath. “I hurt you. I apologize for that. I want to promise it will never happen again, but it might. What I can promise is that I’m in this for the long haul. That you can depend on me. And if Angel ever acts this stupid, I’ll hire a platoon to take him out.”
Her shoulders shook, but he didn’t know if she was laughing or crying.
“I brought you something.”
She turned. He saw tears on her cheeks. Her gaze settled on the dress. Something brightened her eyes and her mouth twitched. “You look ridiculous.”
“That’s okay.”
“You’d be a hideous cross-dresser. The dress doesn’t suit you at all.”
“I’m okay with not being the prettiest bridesmaid. As long as I can be in your wedding. If you’ll still have me.”
She moved with more speed than he would have thought her capable of. One second she was by the window, the next she was throwing herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her and hung on tight.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Please, please forgive me.”
“You were a total jackass.”
“I know.
She sighed. “Where did you get that dress?”
“I borrowed it from Isabel. By the way, if you destroy it, I have to pay for it.”
“You can afford it.” She looked up at him. “What happened?”
“The world closed in. I had Larissa and Percy, the job offer. Everywhere I turned, I was being forced to give more than I thought I was capable of. I’m only used to caring about you.”
“So you lashed out?”
“With style.”
She stepped back and sniffed. “You really shouldn’t be here. At Score, I mean. The coaching job is a better fit. You need that, Jack.”
He smiled. “Already done. I start on Monday.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. Which means my letter of resignation still stands, but without the drama.”
She touched the front of the dress. “I wonder if they make this in a size you could wear.”
“Pink isn’t my color.”
“Or mine,” she told him. “I’d prefer you wear a tux.”
He stared into her eyes. “When I attend your wedding?” he asked cautiously.
“Oh, no. You’re still my man of honor. You’re going to help me adjust my veil and hold my flowers and glower at Angel. You’ll be busy.”
He kissed her cheek. “I can’t wait.”
* * *
LARISSA CLIMBED THE stairs to her apartment. Her first day at her new job had gone great. She’d been booked solid with massages. The good news was after dealing with athletes all these years, taking care of regular people with ordinary muscles was a breeze.
She opened her front door only to stop when she saw Jack sitting on the sofa, Dyna draped across his lap.
He looked good, she thought wistfully. Handsome and strong. What was it about a good-looking guy with a fluffy cat on his lap? He didn’t seem to mind the cat hair flying everywhere and attaching itself to his pants.
When he saw her, he picked up Dyna and moved her to the side, then stood.
“You’re home,” he said.
She nodded.
She hadn’t seen him in twenty-three days. She’d felt the pain of every passing hour, had missed him, ached for him, cried for him and had tried to make peace with what was happening. What she hadn’t done was fall out of love with him. Now as she looked at him, she felt her heart reaching toward him, straining to be closer. Nearer. Next to.
He crossed to her, then took both her hands in his. His dark eyes locked with hers.
“I’m sorry,” he told her. “Sorry for what I said and how I acted. Sorry for being selfish, immature and stupid. I hurt you. I lashed out and there’s no excuse for my behavior, so I won’t make one. What I will say instead is I was wrong. Completely and totally wrong. I hurt everyone I care about. Worst of all, I hurt you.”
He brought her hands to his chest and placed her palms flat on his shirt.
“My heart beats only because of you,” he said quietly. “I breathe for you. I exist because I love you, Larissa. You are who matters and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”
He seemed to melt away. It took her a second to realize she was crying. But happy tears, she thought, trying to take it all in. Joyful tears.
“I love you,” he repeated, then he pulled a small box out of his pants pocket. “I know it’s a lot to ask right now, but will you marry me? I want it all, but only with you. I want Percy down the hall and cats and chiweenies running around. Move in a couple of owls and snakes. Whatever makes you happy.”
“I wants kids,” she said, not sure where the words had come from.
“Yeah?” He grinned. “Good. Like twenty?”
She shook her head. “Three. Maybe four.”
“I can do that. I can do whatever you want. Larissa, it was always you. I’m sorry I didn’t see that for so long. I’m sorry I had to hurt you before I understood how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
She searched his face and what she saw there healed her broken heart. “You sure?”
“Yes. Until you I didn’t truly understand what love could be. I get it now.”
“Then you get me,” she said simply.
It barely fit. There was no way he could have zipped it, but that wasn’t the point. This wasn’t a fashion show, this was a statement of intent. He opened the conference door, walked across the hall and entered Taryn’s office without knocking.
She was standing by the window, looking out. Her suit was fitted and she was barefoot. He saw her ridiculously high heels by her chair.
“Taryn?”
She didn’t turn, but he saw her stiffen.
“Go away.”
“No. I won’t do that. Not now and not ever. I’m sorry about what I said before. I’m sorry about what happened. Resigning wasn’t wrong, but there were a lot better ways to handle it.” He paused to draw in a breath. “I hurt you. I apologize for that. I want to promise it will never happen again, but it might. What I can promise is that I’m in this for the long haul. That you can depend on me. And if Angel ever acts this stupid, I’ll hire a platoon to take him out.”
Her shoulders shook, but he didn’t know if she was laughing or crying.
“I brought you something.”
She turned. He saw tears on her cheeks. Her gaze settled on the dress. Something brightened her eyes and her mouth twitched. “You look ridiculous.”
“That’s okay.”
“You’d be a hideous cross-dresser. The dress doesn’t suit you at all.”
“I’m okay with not being the prettiest bridesmaid. As long as I can be in your wedding. If you’ll still have me.”
She moved with more speed than he would have thought her capable of. One second she was by the window, the next she was throwing herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her and hung on tight.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Please, please forgive me.”
“You were a total jackass.”
“I know.
She sighed. “Where did you get that dress?”
“I borrowed it from Isabel. By the way, if you destroy it, I have to pay for it.”
“You can afford it.” She looked up at him. “What happened?”
“The world closed in. I had Larissa and Percy, the job offer. Everywhere I turned, I was being forced to give more than I thought I was capable of. I’m only used to caring about you.”
“So you lashed out?”
“With style.”
She stepped back and sniffed. “You really shouldn’t be here. At Score, I mean. The coaching job is a better fit. You need that, Jack.”
He smiled. “Already done. I start on Monday.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. Which means my letter of resignation still stands, but without the drama.”
She touched the front of the dress. “I wonder if they make this in a size you could wear.”
“Pink isn’t my color.”
“Or mine,” she told him. “I’d prefer you wear a tux.”
He stared into her eyes. “When I attend your wedding?” he asked cautiously.
“Oh, no. You’re still my man of honor. You’re going to help me adjust my veil and hold my flowers and glower at Angel. You’ll be busy.”
He kissed her cheek. “I can’t wait.”
* * *
LARISSA CLIMBED THE stairs to her apartment. Her first day at her new job had gone great. She’d been booked solid with massages. The good news was after dealing with athletes all these years, taking care of regular people with ordinary muscles was a breeze.
She opened her front door only to stop when she saw Jack sitting on the sofa, Dyna draped across his lap.
He looked good, she thought wistfully. Handsome and strong. What was it about a good-looking guy with a fluffy cat on his lap? He didn’t seem to mind the cat hair flying everywhere and attaching itself to his pants.
When he saw her, he picked up Dyna and moved her to the side, then stood.
“You’re home,” he said.
She nodded.
She hadn’t seen him in twenty-three days. She’d felt the pain of every passing hour, had missed him, ached for him, cried for him and had tried to make peace with what was happening. What she hadn’t done was fall out of love with him. Now as she looked at him, she felt her heart reaching toward him, straining to be closer. Nearer. Next to.
He crossed to her, then took both her hands in his. His dark eyes locked with hers.
“I’m sorry,” he told her. “Sorry for what I said and how I acted. Sorry for being selfish, immature and stupid. I hurt you. I lashed out and there’s no excuse for my behavior, so I won’t make one. What I will say instead is I was wrong. Completely and totally wrong. I hurt everyone I care about. Worst of all, I hurt you.”
He brought her hands to his chest and placed her palms flat on his shirt.
“My heart beats only because of you,” he said quietly. “I breathe for you. I exist because I love you, Larissa. You are who matters and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”
He seemed to melt away. It took her a second to realize she was crying. But happy tears, she thought, trying to take it all in. Joyful tears.
“I love you,” he repeated, then he pulled a small box out of his pants pocket. “I know it’s a lot to ask right now, but will you marry me? I want it all, but only with you. I want Percy down the hall and cats and chiweenies running around. Move in a couple of owls and snakes. Whatever makes you happy.”
“I wants kids,” she said, not sure where the words had come from.
“Yeah?” He grinned. “Good. Like twenty?”
She shook her head. “Three. Maybe four.”
“I can do that. I can do whatever you want. Larissa, it was always you. I’m sorry I didn’t see that for so long. I’m sorry I had to hurt you before I understood how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
She searched his face and what she saw there healed her broken heart. “You sure?”
“Yes. Until you I didn’t truly understand what love could be. I get it now.”
“Then you get me,” she said simply.
