“I’m fine.” She pushes away from me, putting some distance between us. Then she’s accusing me with tear-stained eyes. “Where were you? Where were you last night?”
I don’t understand the words, or what she’s getting at. “Where was I?”
“You told me you had meetings, but I saw a picture of you having dinner with some woman.”
It takes a moment for me to understand that she’s accusing me of something. “You what?”
“I saw you,” she repeats in a shaky voice. “I saw you with your dinner date, and you looked like you were having a good time.”
“And you left?” She saw some gossip somewhere, and that’s why she’s been out on the street alone? That’s why she put herself in danger? My anger turns to frustration. “You didn’t think you needed to ask me about it before walking away?”
“You lied to me about where you were last night. Maybe I didn’t want to wait to be lied to again.”
She was leaving.
Suddenly, I’m laughing, and there’s no humor in the sound because inside, I feel like crap. “I didn’t lie to you. I had meetings. I had a meeting with her, just like I had meetings with other people over the course of the day. I decided to conclude our meeting over dinner to save time. Are you satisfied, or would you like a fucking list of every single person I spoke to yesterday?”
She flinches at my tone, but I’m too angry to care. “I’m not supposed to care that you were out with someone else when you told me you’d be working? I’m not supposed to care that you didn’t think to men
tion it to me until I saw it online?” She shrugs. “Fine then. I don’t care.”
I don’t bother to reply. I’m too pissed to say anything to her. I will not stand here and lecture her about the worry she caused everyone over…what? Some gossip?
I pull out my phone and call Joe. “You can come back now.” Then I call Laurie. “She’s here.”
“Did anything… Is she…?”
“No. She’s okay.”
I end the call and glance up the street, looking for Joe. I don’t trust myself to say anything without losing my cool.
Of all the stupid, childish, dangerous things she could have done.
“Do you realize I had my driver searching the streets for you? Do you realize your cousin was worried about you? You preferred to take a walk across the city, at this time, alone, because you saw a picture online. For fuck’s sake, Rachel! Do you know what could have happened? How would I ever fucking forgive myself if anything happened to you?”
My words do something to her. The accusation melts away, giving way to a sheen of tears in her eyes. I fight the urge to comfort her. No. This one is on her.
“Landon.” She covers her face with her hands. “I didn’t think…”
“No, you didn’t,” I interrupt. “You were too eager to indict me.”
Because she’s still looking for a reason to leave.
The realization hurts like hell.
“Are we still at this stage, Rachel? Are you still looking for excuses to walk away?”
She doesn’t reply. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Joe drive up the street. He comes to park right next to where we’re standing.
“You can go up now,” I tell her, heading for the car. “I’ll send your things later tonight.”
“Wait.” Her voice shatters my anger. “Please, Landon.” When I face her, her eyes are glistening with tears. Fuck!
“I’m sorry,” she whispers.
A lone tear rolls down her cheek.
“Dammit, Rachel.” I take her in my arms and wipe the tear away. “You’re going to drive me crazy,” I whisper, knowing she already has.