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She pressed her lips together. “He found out about you and me.”
Bruno muttered something in Spanish, which was likely a curse word. “How?”
“Lori, the receptionist.”
Concern filled his eyes. “I’m sorry that happened. I’ll fix this.”
“There’s nothing for you to do. All I need is space right now.” She’d thought long and hard about how to move forward, and she couldn’t afford to be distracted by Bruno.
“Space?” he repeated, as if he didn’t recognize the word.
She swallowed the tightness in her throat. “Look, Bruno, being with you has been fun and exciting, but I live in the real world where bills have to be paid. What we were doing before… I can’t anymore. I have to find a job.”
“I understand, but I get the impression that you’re cutting me off.”
“Because I need space and time,” Marissa said in a low voice.
“For how long?” Bruno demanded.
“For as long as it takes for me to get back on my feet. I have a child, and I need to be mentally present for him and find a job right away so I can continue to take good care of him.”
“Marissa.”
He reached for her, and she pulled away. “Don’t. I’m sorry. Being with you was fun, really, but our worlds are too different.”
She tried to slip past him, but he grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the building.
“I have been going out of my mind wondering if I did something wrong. Shutting me out isn’t the answer.” His eyes flashed at her in anger.
“And what is the answer? Everything is screwed up! My life is a mess, and all because—” Her bottom lip trembled.
“Because of me,” he said, sounding resigned. “Because I pursued you, even when you told me what the consequences would be.”
She yanked her arm, but his fingers only tightened.
“So we’re done now? You want nothing to do with me?”
“I need to fix my life,” she said through clenched teeth.
“Let me help you,” Bruno said.
“You want to help me?”
“Yes!”
“Then get me my job back! Stop Arnie from suing me. Can you do that, Bruno? Because if you can’t do either of those things, then you can’t help me, and I’m on my own—the way I’ve been my whole life. You get to continue with your perfect life in your perfect house with your perfect family. I have to deal with the very real consequences of my actions. I have to take care of myself and my son—like I always have.” She looked down at his fingers curled around her wrist. “Let go. Please.”
“What if I can fix this?”
She lifted her gaze. “How?”
“Let me worry about that. If I fix the problem, will you forgive me? Will you give us another chance?”
What could he possibly do? She was used to taking care of herself and didn’t want to get her hopes up. “I can fix my own problems,” Marissa said softly.
His eyes narrowed, then he released her.
She immediately missed his touch but straightened her shoulders. They stared at each other, neither of them saying another word.
