courage to finish the story. “When I finally told her she said she didn’t care. But then she started to leave notes all over the house for me. On the mirror, on the fridge, on the counters. And it hurt because I knew deep down she was doing it on purpose.” He lined up, sighted the solid green ball, banked it, and sank it into the middle pocket.
“Mmm-hmm.”
He felt a smile tug at his mouth and the tight, hot knot in his gut began to uncoil. “Then I started to see letters left all around the house in handwriting that wasn’t hers. When I asked her about them she said they from her family. I believed her, because I wanted to so bad. I didn’t want to admit to what I knew in my gut was going on. Then one day I came home from practice a little early and heard her voice in the bedroom along with another man’s. I heard her call me a “fucking retard” to that guy, and say how I was so stupid I couldn’t read the love letters from him she’d been leaving around the house. They had a good laugh over it.”
Lorelei gasped and then a low, feline growl came from her. Her arms crossed over her ample breasts and she started to tap a boot on the floor in a rhythmic tap, tap, tap. “Mmm-hmm.” There was way more emphasis this time.
Mark sank another ball. “I confronted her and she went ballistic, blaming me for her cheating. That was the story of our relationship. She was always accusing, threatening, blaming. It wore me down and ate at my confidence. Made me believe that everything pretty much was my fault. Even that it was my fault she’d never loved me. But she went too far when she blamed me for her infidelity. I left that day and have been struggling to read ever since. I swore no other woman would ever have that kind of power to hurt me. And that’s why I lashed out at you the way I did at Pete’s place. Because you’d hurt me when you told me you’d lied. I’m sorry for it and I apologize. But I don’t want to rehash that fight with you, Lorelei. I can’t. I forgive you and I hope you can forgive me. I just want to move forward from here with you. I just want to be with you.” He straightened and stared across the table at her. Searched her face. “You can talk now.”
“I’m taking the first flight back to Denver.” Lorelei stated, and set her pool stick on the table.
Mark wasn’t sure what to make of the gleam in her eye. “Why would you want to do that?” he asked warily. Maybe she was disgusted by him after all.
Lorelei looked him square in the eye. “So I can go kick her sorry ass, that’s why.”
God, what a woman.
“Now, sweetheart,” he said as the knot is his stomach melted into nothing and his heart started pounding. Hope flared hot behind his ribs.
He started breathing again.
She waved him off. “Oh, all right. Never mind. Knee-jerk reaction.” She huffed, bit her bottom lip, and eyed him. “Now it’s my turn to admit something. The day Michelle was hospitalized, I took your charm. I would have done anything to save that little girl. I’m sorry for taking it from you again, but I’m not sorry for feeling justified in doing so. Now I’m here to give it back to you and to apologize. I know it might not matter, but I still needed to do it in person.”
He watched Lorelei pull his necklace from her skirt pocket and hold it out to him. He didn’t want it. He’d learned a while ago that Lorelei was what mattered, not the cross. He made his own luck. It was nothing but a piece of metal and distant memories.
Mark shrugged a shoulder. “I knew you took it, and told the cops housecleaning had found it. I didn’t blame you. I’d have done the same if I was in your shoes. But I don’t care about that anymore, so put it away. I only care about you.”
She looked at him speculatively for a moment, but he could see the relief practically wash over her as she replaced the cross in her pocket. Her whole body seemed to relax. Then she was rounding the end of the pool table, coming toward him. When she smiled at him through