Her eyes were wide with fear and I had no idea how to abate the ebbing waves of disaster rolling around behind them.
“Just give me two hours. And if I can’t convince you to stay, then I’ll let you go,” I said.
My heart slammed against my chest as I watched her debate my words. She had been through so much in the past few hours, and I couldn’t blame her for wanting to run. I couldn’t blame her for wanting to get out of this place as fast as she could get out, but all I was asking for was two hours of her time. Two hours she would’ve been spending in an airport waiting room anyway.
I had something I wanted to ask her, and I needed the time to convince her that I was right.
I needed time to convince her to stay with me.
“Okay,” she said. “But only two hours. After that, I have to get to the airport.”
“In two hours if I can’t change your mind, I’ll escort you there myself,” I said.
I opened up my hotel suite door and ushered her in. I picked her bags up off the floor and slid them off to the side. The door closed behind me with a quiet thud as she shrugged her coat off, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was a radiantly beautiful woman, with strong shoulders that sloped into an hourglass frame. Her clothes hugged all the right areas of her body while still leaving enough fabric in certain places to make her look professional.
She was a work of art to behold as she turned around and gave me a sad smile.
“I need to apologize,” she said.
“For what?” I asked.
She drew a deep breath through her nose before she started fidgeting with her hands.
“For not being as strong as you,” she said.
“Abby, you don’t—”
“Come sit next to me,” she said.
She sat down on the couch and patted the cushion, beckoning me to sit beside her. The Kansas sunlight was streaming through the windows of the balcony of my suite, highlighting the golden rays of hair she had scattered throughout her head. She looked like an angel, a halo of light surrounding her beautiful face as I walked over and sat next to her.
Then she took my hand and brought it to her lips, leaving an imprint of my favorite feature of her on the top of my skin.
“I’m sorry,” she said, whispering. “For almost leaving without saying goodbye.”
Chapter 22
Abby
I could feel Colin’s eyes on me as I kissed the top of his hand. I had so much to be sorry for and I had no idea where to start. I wanted to apologize for always being pushy and intentionally pressing his buttons. I wanted to apologize for being so upset with him because he never called. I wanted to apologize for the anger I threw his way on the road trip down from Minnesota, and I especially wanted to apologize for leaving the conference without seeing him first.
But I decided to start with my biggest problem.
I wanted to start with how my cowardice almost took over.
“That speech was beautiful, Colin,” I said, smiling. “It—you have no idea the things I felt when I heard—”
I closed my eyes as I sighed heavily, trying to gather my thoughts. I felt Colin’s hand come down on top of mine and I could feel his gaze on me. I didn’t know where to begin and I really didn’t know what else to tell him.
So I decided to simply tell him the truth and hoped he would understand.
“I’m still so embarrassed,” I said.
I opened my eyes and found Colin’s confused stare looking back at me.
“The article this morning. It didn’t scare me, Colin. It embarrassed me. To my core. The things the press said and the things they were accusing me of. Sleeping with the boss to get ahead and sucking my way to the top—it was my worst nightmare realized.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he said.
“And I’m worried that you made that speech not because you love me, but because you wanted to try and save my career,” I said.
I watched him physically sink into the couch as his hands dropped mine.
“I appreciated that speech so much. Never in my life had I felt that kind of happiness. Ever. About anyone. But I started wondering if you gave that speech to try and help me in some way. I mean, you’re the man. The boss. The person everyone is looking up to in the business world right now. This won’t hurt you. It might stun some people, but it won’t take your career. But you saw how mine was quickly spiraling and I was scared that this was your solution.”
“You think the speech was fake,” he said.
“I was scared it was, yes. It’s why I left before you could find me,” I said.
I looked into his eyes and I could see the hurt I’d caused. The pain I’d brought him with my words. I mentally chastised myself—whipping my back with my own belt, as my father enjoyed saying. I tried to reach out for his hand but he pulled it back from me and I felt my heart sink to my toes.
“While something like this wouldn’t tank your career like it would mine, it would embarrass you,” I said.
His gaze whipped back over to me as I drew in a shaky breath.
“I’m not nearly the type of woman you should have at your side. I’m not graceful, nor am I groomed for any sort of—social world of the kind you might find yourself in. I don’t do any of the fancy parties or formal dinner events. I have no idea how to
