Irolled my eyes, pushed away from my desk, and said, “I’ll go see him.”
“Areyousure? Do you even remember what he said to you last time you spokewith him? God, Tabitha, I wouldn’t talk to him again, if I were you.”
“Yes,I remember,” I grumbled with a heated groan. Truthfully, the last thing Iwanted was to talk to Roman Dolecki. Not after what he had said to me on thephone following his altercation with Sebastian and me. But I was still aprofessional, and I would hear him out.
Movingpast a dumbfounded Alex, I left my office to find Roman, predictably wearing anexpensive suit and standing with his watch aimed toward his gaze. Always busy.Always somewhere more important to be.
“Roman.”I alerted him to my presence with a razor’s edge tacked onto my voice, and heturned to face me.
“Tabitha,”he replied with a formal nod of his chin, and I immediately noted the apologywashing over his brown eyes. “Can we maybe speak in your office?” His gaze slidto meet Alex, now standing protectively nearby. “Privately?”
Witha hastened nod, I hurried back into my office, with Roman following close at myheels. I waited for him to be seated, noting Alex’s warning glare shootingdaggers at the back of his head, and I closed the door.
“Well,I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a surprise,” I said immediately, hurryingaround the desk to my chair. “What can I do for you?”
“I’msurprised you’d even agree to speak with me again, after the awful things Isaid to you,” he admitted, bowing his head with shame. “Which is exactly why Icame here. To apologize.”
“It’sbeen months,” I said, dismissing his words with a wave of my hand. “I haven’tthought about all of that in weeks.” It was the truth. Thoughts of RomanDolecki had remained dormant, until he had walked through the door severalminutes ago.
Hesmiled with remorse despite the dismissal. “I’m glad to hear it, but Tabitha, theway I spoke to you was inexcusable. Truthfully, I was hurt and rejected, buttaking it out on you in that way was completely out of character. I wanted youto know that I really am sorry for what I said. I had no right.”
Ipursed my lips tersely, accepting the apology with a nod. “Thank you. Iappreciate it, I just …” I cocked my head, narrowing my gaze with question. “Ijust don’t entirely understand why you’re doing thisnow.”
“Ah,well …” Roman ran his hand over the back of his head, smoothing his dark hairas he hesitated. “I’ve been meaning to, but I wasn’t sure how, and then so muchtime had passed … But, then, I received a phone call—”
Everyextremity froze, every vertebra locked. “A phone call?”
Shameand embarrassment shadowed his features as he nodded. “Yes, uh … I received aphone call the other day, asking if I ever apologized to you. When I said no, Iwas asked why not, and I didn’t have a good answer.”
Ablend of affection and anger coalesced in my gut. My lips pinched and thenrolled together as I shook my head, and then said, “I’m sure I can guess who itwas.”
Witha brief nod, he forced a smile. “I was taken aback, but I can’t say I blame himeither. He was just making sure I did the right thing by you, and …”
Roman’swords dissipated into the air, and I glanced back to his face to find a wistfulgaze in his eyes. The faintest of affectionate smiles curved his lips, and Iasked what he was smiling about.
“O-oh,”he stuttered, coming back from his day dream. “It’s just, I couldn’t understandbefore why you’d choose him over me. I understand the relationship to him, butromantically, it didn’t make any sense to me at the time. But,” he locked hiseyes with mine as his smile broadened, “if I’m being honest, I’m not sure Iwould have defended you the way he did. Truthfully, I’ve never felt that waytoward anybody before, not even my ex-wife, which is probably why she’s my ex.”
“Roman…” I swallowed, deflating with my exhale.
Helifted his hand to stop my words. “You don’t need to explain anything to me,Tabitha. I know I never could’ve been what he is for you. Hell, I wonder if Ican be that for anybody sometimes.” His eyes crinkled with a rueful smile. “AndI am sorry about what happened to our professional relationship. That was …”His head shook with his personal disdain. “Unforgivable.”
“Yeah,well,” I sucked at my teeth, feeling the bitter bite of that reminder, “it iswhat it is.”
Romantapped his fingers against the armrests of the chair. Something was still hangingin the air. Unspoken words, unfinished business. I was tempted to ask what elsewas on his mind, but I left it alone. What was the point?
Hereached across the desk, touching his fingers to mine. “Have a good life,Tabitha.” His smile was reluctant as he stood, sighing with finality. “I hopeit’s everything you wanted.”
“Youtoo, Roman,” I rasped through a dry throat, as I watched him leave.
40
tabby
“What do you meanyousoldit?” Ihissed into the phone.
Alexsighed. “It means what it sounds like, honey; I sold the house.”
Thepotato masher hung from my limp fingers, until I lost my grip and it clatteredto the floor. I could hardly make sense of the emotions weaving around myheart, encasing my spirit with a sense of failure and sadness and a longing I wishI could erase. It was so final, so devastating.
