Temptation on Ocean Drive - Jennifer Probst Page 0,52
probably easier believing the worst. It gives you a free pass from trying and maybe getting hurt.”
“That’s not fair,” she whispered.
“You’re right, it’s not. But neither is judging me for something I’ve never done. I’m not going to sit here and defend myself. I need a woman who believes in me, who takes the time to know my heart and stands by my side.”
Her throat closed up. Emotion burned her eyes at his raw words that seemed to be ripped from his chest. Oh, how she wanted to get up from the table, wrap her arms around him, and tell him she was wrong. That she wanted to try.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she sat in silence while the buzz of the restaurant played around them.
“I’m sorry,” she finally said. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
He gave a quick nod and looked away. “Yeah, I know.”
“What do we do now?”
He laid down his fork and pushed his plate away. “Finish Adele’s wedding. Keep working together. I hope you’ll let me keep interacting with Zoe. I love that little girl.”
“Of course. We’ll just go back to the way things were. We’ll be friends.” The word stuck like peanut butter on her tongue, but she forced it out.
“I’ll always care about you, Bella. Just want you to know that.”
Her smile wobbled. “Thanks. I better go. I’ll text you later on some outstanding items—we need to go over the specialized cocktail list and make some final decisions.” She stood and pulled on her coat.
Gabe nodded, but he kept his gaze down.
She walked toward the exit, eyes stinging. She paused with her hand on the bar and, for one moment, looked back.
Valerie stood by the table, leaning over in an obvious flirty gesture. Her curls bounced as she nodded at something Gabe said, then laughed. She was in her midtwenties. Fresh faced. Probably single and free with no one to worry about but herself.
She was everything Bella wasn’t.
A quiet acceptance came over her, even though her chest hurt. It was better this way.
For both of them.
She walked out and didn’t look back.
Chapter Eleven
Gabe wondered how losing someone you never had still hurt like a son of a bitch.
He headed to his next appointment to confirm the final floral arrangements and let his mind drift.
Since her brutal confession, he’d spent the last week focused on work and trying to dig Bella out of his heart for good. They had managed to work together on Adele’s wedding, both being careful not to cross over the invisible barrier between them. Every time he weakened, he reminded himself of the things she believed about him. He could have spent time defending himself, proving the rumors false one by one, but he refused. If Bella wanted to believe the gossip that he was sleeping around, there was nothing he could do.
He couldn’t seem to catch a break this week. Even Marlaine wanted to cast him in the gigolo role. He’d kept their appointment for lunch, and when he discovered she had no friend who needed a wedding planner, he made an early exit. Her bold offering to spend her vacation with him to play caused no desire—just disgust. With her, for not believing he had more to give than sex. With him, for not being able to break out of the mold Cape May had made for him.
Avery was consistently pissed at the way the town portrayed his bachelor status, spinning embellished tales of sexual conquests he’d never had. Even worse—most laughed when he tried to debunk the rumors, thinking men should relish such a reputation in all forms.
Not him. Not when it became a barrier to meeting a woman who could be his forever. He’d picked his career because he loved organizing one of the biggest party events of the year, but there was another reason.
He still believed in true love.
His father’s face reared up in his mind, sneering with scorching disgust. You’ll never be a real man. You’re just a pretty boy who relies on his face and body to make your mark. You’re useless.
He tried to silence the voice in his head, reminding himself he was successful. Strong. He’d created a life he loved, and he refused to let rumors and the loss of Bella bring him back to the brink.
He’d worked too hard to get here.
At least he had no regrets. He’d given her all he had, and it wasn’t enough. It was time to accept her final decision and move on. He believed there was a