Page 10 of The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events 10)
“How do you even know where I live?” I ask though I don’t really care. I’m just glad she’s here.
“You’re not the only one who has connections.” She looks around. “You don’t have any furniture.”
“I know.”
“Why did you give me these?” She yanks the papers back out of my hand.
“I wanted you to know how I’ve spent the last three years.”
“And you thought if I read these that I would forgive you for everything?”
“No, but I thought you might give me the opportunity to talk to you about it.”
“Well, I’m here. So go ahead.”
I step closer, getting lost in her blue eyes. “Ever since I saw you yesterday, I can’t stop thinking about you.” I shake my head. “That’s a lie. I’ve thought about you every minute of every day since I met you. My entire life changed its axis and began revolving around you the moment I laid eyes on you.”
“Big talk for someone who walked away when I needed him most.”
“You don’t need me. Look at what you’ve done, all you’ve become. And you did it without me and despite all the shit that was thrown your way.”
“But I wanted you, Owen. And I can’t be with a man who doesn’t fight for the things he wants.”
“Wanting you was never the problem. But how does a man convince himself he’s worthy of someone who lights up a room and makes everyone better just for knowing them?”
“If that’s what you think, then why bother getting back in touch?”
“Because I’ll never be worthy of you, but for the first time, I’m convinced I can try. And I’m hoping you’ll let me.” I take her hands in mine, and she doesn’t pull away. The relief I feel at touching her again is immeasurable. My heart can finally beat freely again without the gnawing ache I’ve felt since the day I walked away.
“How can I trust that the next time something catastrophic happens, you won’t up and leave?” Her eyes glisten.
“There’s nothing I can say to make you trust me again. All I can do is ask that you take one more chance on me. Please, honey. Just one.”
Long moments pass. Nothing in her intense expression gives me any hint as to which way she’s leaning. I have no plan B—this is it. And if she leaves, I don’t know what I’ll do. Just the hope of one day getting her back into my life was all the motivation I needed to stay focused on my goals. Without that, my future is undetermined.
“I missed you so much.” The tears that had been threatening to fall finally draw a path down her cheeks. “I believed in us, I believed in you, and you let me down.”
Fuck me. I pull her into my arms, lifting her off her feet and moving us to the loveseat, where I place her across my lap. She doesn’t fight me, which I take as a good sign, though I know I have a lot more groveling to do. That’s okay. I’ll grovel until the day I die if it means I have her back.
“I’m so fucking sorry. I wasn’t ready for us, and I knew I wasn’t capable of being the man you needed.”
“The day I moved in, I pressed the alarm on my bracelet. You didn’t come. You promised you’d come, and you didn’t.” She digs her face into my neck, and her whole body shakes with her sobs.
I hold her away and tip her chin up, hating the pain pouring from her in waves and hating myself for doing this to her. “I knew if I did, I wouldn’t be strong enough to leave again. But I called your dad to make sure you were okay. I never would’ve ignored that.”
“You talked to my dad?”
“I went to your house and spoke with him. He told me he was disappointed in me for taking advantage of you.”
“You didn’t—”
“I know you don’t think of it that way, but he’s your dad. There was no other way to look at it. I explained it from our perspective, and he gave me his permission to pursue you.”
Her brows knit. “And you still didn’t come back to me?”
“He also said I needed to get my life together before I did because he was only giving me one chance.”
“So I have my dad to thank for the last three years?”