“Hi, this is Anna.” A very amused American accent came from the other end.
“Hi, Anna. I’m Victor.” Lacey was now grabbing for her phone, something his combined height and stature made reasonably easy to fend off. For now. She looked fierce enough to bite him. “I probably only have a few seconds. Is there anything you’d like to tell me before she knocks me out with a family heirloom to get her phone back?”
He was only half-joking, giving the way Lacey had spun around and was eyeing up the bedside lamp.
“She’s not very good at feelings.”
“Yup, got that.”
“She’s going to run away.”
“That’s a one hundred percent certainty.” Lacey had grabbed her clothes and was stalking into the en suite, slamming the door shut behind her.
“But she’s worth it.”
“I know she is.” He eyed up the bathroom door, knowing that any second it would be flung open, and she would be about two minutes away from peeling out of the driveway. Blocking her from the exit would be guaranteed to tip her over the edge. He moved so that he was clear of the path from the bathroom to the door. He loved her. And that meant he had to let her go. “But, I’m not.”
“Last night, you showed Lacey more love than she’s ever had from any man in her entire life. That makes you more than worth it. Tell her to call me.” And American Anna was gone.
More love than she’s ever had from any man her entire life. Anna’s words twisted Victor’s stomach. He had done so many things wrong in his life. He wasn’t even sure he knew how to love someone. Not really. If that was true, what had the rest of the men in her life been like?
With a thud, the bathroom door flung opened. Lacey appeared, dressed, and hopping as she shoved her second shoe on her foot.
She looked between him and the door as if anticipating some kind of trick. “I have to go.” She took a few steps. “Good luck with Peter and Sabine and everything. Your daughter. All of it. I hope it all works out.”
He didn’t move as she approached the door. Even though every muscle in him fought to sweep her up in his arms.
“Your phone.” He held it out. She looked at his palm for a second then reached out for it.
“Thanks.” She dropped it into her bag. Her gaze studiously avoiding his.
“The answer, by the way, is yes.”
At that, her head jerked up, a deep wariness written behind her eyes. “No, it’s not. You don’t even know me.”
Victor took a breath. He had to be careful. One wrong word and she’d be gone. “Lace, I may not know what your favorite food is, or whether you snore, or even your address. But people could date for years and know all the small things and not know what really matters. But I have seen enough, I know enough, to know I love you.”
For a long moment, he thought he might have pushed too far. Her gaze darted back to the door, but her feet didn’t move. He was all in now. No going back.
He gave her a couple of seconds, but she didn’t say anything. “I’m not asking you to give me a chance. If you leave without another word, I’ll understand. If you tell me the best I can hope for is distant colleagues, I’ll accept it.”
Lacey’s gaze stayed firmly fixed on her toes that peeked out from her shoes. “Can you please look at me?” After a second, she raised her head. Her lips were pressed firmly against each other, her arms folded across her torso like a barrier.
“I know what I said last night. I know I can’t do anything about it right now because I have too many other things that I need to try and fix. But I love you, and I’m in love with you. And I know I’m not worthy of you. But falling in love with you is the only worthwhile thing I’ve done in a long time.”
“And what about me?” The words erupted from her, her eyes ablaze. There it was. Something real at last. Anything was better than the blank facade. Her fists were curled, and she was on her toes, right in his space. “What am I supposed to do with this? You can’t choose me. You have to choose your job. You have to choose your daughter. I don’t get to be a choice.