“I’m so sorry, Stacey. I know an apology can’t fix anything…”
Stacey sneers, and then her hand flies through the air right across my face with a loud smack. Stars dot the edges of my vision and my cheek stings. Wish I could say that was the first time I’d been hit by a woman today.
“Save yourself some trouble,” Stacey says to London, “and leave him before he ruins your life.” She stomps off and then it’s me and London… and the old guy who witnessed the whole show.
“London, I…I don’t even know how to explain what just happened.”
She folds her arms tight against her body like she needs to protect herself, but her face remains unchanged. “I think it was pretty obvious. You’re a player Sean.” She purses her lips and looks away. “Everyone knows that.”
She turns and heads for the barn, leaving the tree and me.Everyone knows that.
Is that all I am? Is that all people see? I know I make bad choices, but every so often I help people, too. I helped Michael find his wife, and Trent his girlfriend. I was a jerk about it, yes. But I’d hoped that someday I’d be more than a sum total of my mistakes.
Chapter 19
London
Thiswasamistake.A very embarrassing mistake. Sean seems to bring them out in me. Of course, the man is a player. But making out with his girlfriend’s boss? That’s a new level of low. I gave him a shot, and gosh he was sweet, but it was an act, his charm. The sun on his arm? I was falling for it all.
My phone pings. No doubt my dad “checking in.” I ignore it, putting the ornament I was looking at back on the display.
I pick up another ornament—a gingerbread man with a baker’s cap. My mom always made homemade gingerbread. Most people got it from the store, but my mom made it all from scratch. She swore the homemade stuff held up better under pressure, but it all cracked and crumbled eventually. Nothing lasts forever.
I sigh and put it back on the display as well, but just as my fingers release it a strong, calloused hand grabs it off the hook.
“We are definitely getting this,” Sean says.
I bite my lip, forcing the picture of the tree in my shop out of my head. “Actually, I’m rethinking the whole tree thing.”
“Too late, it’s already in the truck,” Sean says, his smile forced. Sean never has to force anything.
“You can take it home then.” I don’t want to be another woman played by him.
He sucks in his cheeks. “I’m not going to do that. The tree is for you.”
“But I don’t want it.” I swallow the sudden lump in my throat. It’s a lie. I want the tree. What I don’t want is feelings for a man who is only going to hurt me.
He blows out a breath. “What Stacey said wasn’t the whole story.”
“Oh?” That sounds just like a player, trying to downplay his… playerness.
“Her boss came onto me. I rejected her. Then she told me she would fire Stacey if I didn’t kiss her. She was drunk, I didn’t know what to do, and while I stood there trying to think of a way out, she kissed me. Apparently, she still fired Stacey.”
I watch his eyes, his face, trying to catch the lie. All I feel is the raw emotion. “That’s…”
“Dumb. I know. I was stupid to even consider doing it to save Stacey’s job.”
I shake my head. “That’s harassment, Sean. That woman crossed a line.”
He shrugs. “Stacey’s right. I ruin everything.”
Ten minutes ago, I would have agreed and asked him to take me home. But I think I get it now. Sean comes across as wild and playful—the perfect excuse for everything that goes wrong. And he lets it happen because he believes it himself. Even when he doesn’t deserve it. Like last night at the ice rink. The race was my fault, but he took the blame. How many times in high school did he take the blame for something that wasn’t his fault? Have I been reading him wrong this whole time?
“You don’t need to fake an emergency text or anything. I’ll take you home.” He shoots me a sad smile and turns from the barn.
His broad shoulders slump like they are straining to hold the world upright. It’s not fair of me to judge him for his past mistakes. He’s not the same boy he was in high school, he’s not even the same man who came running into my shop two weeks ago. He’s changed.
I might not trust he won’t break my heart at the end of whatever this is, but he’s a good man, a good friend, and he deserves a second chance on this date. I also owe it to him after giving him a bloody nose and passing out on him for the second time. Super generous stuff.
