Chapter Nineteen

Greg straightened and gave Jack a rub on his head. “I’m almost afraid to ask what you two are doing sitting in the dark.”

Ginger gripped her coffee cup tightly to prevent her hands from reaching up and pulling his mouth back down to hers. She swallowed and cleared her throat, not yet willing to destroy this moment. “Well, I think Jack is here just to humor me, but I’m waiting for the sun to come up. There’s coffee in the kitchen. Get a cup and grab a chair. You can join me.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I see. Well, now you’ll have two guys humoring you. Can I turn on a light to pour my coffee?”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Just make sure you turn it back off.”

“Is this something you do often?” he asked over his shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen, Jack on his heels. “Get up early to watch the sun come up?”

“As often as I can. Did I wake you up?”

“In a roundabout way,” he replied. The kitchen light came on, and she could hear him grabbing a mug from the dishwasher. “I sensed you were no longer in the bed, and I woke up. I guess, even subconsciously, I couldn’t relax without you there.”

She didn’t have a response for that. “Sensed” and “subconsciously” were powerful words, evoking a connection between her and Greg she only wished were true. She turned her head to look out the window again, the gray shade of the night turning into a slight silver-blue color as dawn approached.

She wasn’t going to allow any thoughts on what could have been.

The kitchen light went out. Greg carried in a chair and placed it next to hers. Jack padded in and lay down right in front of them, chewing on yet another dog biscuit. He was making out like a bandit with all the changes to his regular routine.

Greg stretched his long legs out in front of him. With one hand holding his coffee cup, he placed his other arm across her shoulders. “Are we watching for anything other than the sun? UFOs, shooting stars, the man in the moon?”

“Nope.” She smiled. “Just the sun.” As she watched, the first sliver of pink became visible on the horizon. It wouldn’t be long before the sky was ablaze with the bright sunshine of a new day.

They sat together in comfortable silence, and Ginger let her mind replay events that had occurred from the time they first met to now. It had been a fun journey. She’d laughed more in the last few weeks than she had in the last few months combined. She recalled Greg’s patient kindness when he’d helped her rescue Jack, his respectful attitude toward her in the office, the compassion he had for his friends. It was amazing, really, when his early childhood had been devoid of a mother’s love.

She recalled Gerald’s strange comment about Greg’s personality changing after some kind of accident. Well, if he’d changed for the worse, he must have been damn near perfect before. She wanted to know about the accident, to judge for herself how it had affected this incredible man. “Can I ask you something?” she said softly.

“Anything,” he replied, the word coming out garbled in the wide yawn he didn’t bother to hide.

“I heard you were in a serious accident a couple of years ago. What happened? Were you hurt?”

His body tensed beside her. Surprised, she looked at him. She’d noticed that anytime he was upset about something, the muscle in his jaw would become taut. And according to the rock-solid line of his profile, this was no exception. Instantly she regretted asking him about the accident. She was about to apologize, hoping they could return to the sweet harmony of watching the sunrise together, when he turned to look at her, his whole body relaxing on the deep breath he expelled.

“Greg, I’m so sorry—”

“Hush,” he said gently. He removed his arm from the back of her chair and, leaning forward, reached over to enfold her hand in his. “You don’t need to apologize.” Then, after several quiet moments in which he appeared to struggle with how to begin, the story began to tumble out.

“I wasn’t the one in the accident,” he said, his voice deep, gloomy as he stared down at their clasped hands. “It was my fiancée.”

She gasped. “Your…fiancée?”

His fingers tightened around hers, but he didn’t raise his head. “Shandra was on the way to her mother’s house. At least, that’s what I thought. She lost control of her car and crashed into a tree. She died on impact.”

She didn’t trust herself to speak. She wasn’t upset he hadn’t mentioned a fiancée before. He’d told her he’d believed himself to be in love at one time, so that part was not a shock. Yet somebody he’d once cared for had died, and there was no doubt it had affected him. Hell, he could barely talk about it.

Was he dealing with guilt because he knew he hadn’t loved his fiancée the way he should have? And had he realized that before—or after—the accident? The nuance of that distinction could play havoc with one’s emotions. Her heart ached for him.

“Greg, I’m so very sorry. I can only imagine how awful that had to have been. There weren’t any other cars involved?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Thankfully, no. She hadn’t been drinking, and there was no evidence of drugs in her system. The police determined she’d been speeding. They also found her cell phone and discovered she’d been texting at the time of the crash. ‘I’m on my way. Have the wine ready because I’m not sure how much longer I can stand this and—’ I didn’t find out for days what the words meant.”

“Who was she texting?”

He gave a harsh laugh. “Her boyfriend. Seems her fiancé—yours truly—was cramping her style. She was growing tired of pretending to be in love with me.”

At the sound of her gasp, he squeezed her hand. His smile was sad as he continued. “I wasn’t angry at her, but I was pretty disgusted with myself. I had already come to realize I wasn’t in love with Shandra. I knew I couldn’t marry her, but I was stalling until I could find the right time to tell her. I thought she was fragile and that calling it quits would break her heart. I thought she’d had a pretty tough home life, even though I’d met her mother many times and never saw any signs Shandra had been neglected or abused. It never occurred to me she’d been lying the whole time. About her childhood and about being in love with me.

“Anyway,” he said, lifting his head to give her a sardonic smile, “to finish my sad tale, it appears Shandra was planning to be my devoted wife for about a year. Then she would file for divorce and take whatever settlement she got. From what I saw on her computer when I was helping her mother clean out her apartment, she estimated it would be substantial. Then she was going to set up house with this other guy. Not very original, was it?”

She stared at him incredulously. “That’s horrible!”

He nodded. “I agree. I was pretty messed up about it. It took me a while to realize I was as much to blame as she was, though. I was waiting for the proper time to call off the engagement, ignoring all the signals that my loving fiancée was lovin’ someone else. But if I had done the right thing and told her immediately when I realized I couldn’t marry her, she might not have been in such a hurry that night to meet up with her boyfriend.”

“Oh, Greg, you can’t blame yourself for that! Not knowing when someone is lying to you, or hiding something from you, doesn’t make you the guilty party. Quite the opposite.”

He brought their hands up and kissed the back of hers. “You know that better than most people. What you went through with that guy in California was worse.”

“I don’t think so. Todd is alive and well, and so I know if I wanted to scream and yell or punch him out, I could do so. You’ve had to deal with your disappointment and anger without having the emotional outlet of being able to face Shandra.”

She was surprised at the well of emotion that suddenly rose up in her. Shandra and Greg’s story was sad, to be sure, but the uppermost feeling she was struggling with was loathing toward the woman who had so callously hurt him. How could someone be that manipulative? It wasn’t that Ginger was naïve. She knew there were gold diggers whose only goal in life was the accumulation of material things. But to intentionally use and betray such a good man was pure evil.

“Well,” he drawled, “I can’t see myself punching anybody out, but you do have a point. Regardless, that’s all in the past now. You’d think after my own mother’s infidelity, and a couple of other minor relationships of my own that didn’t turn out well, I would have known better. Shandra’s betrayal shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

“I’ve never even come close to making a serious commitment since,” he said proudly. “I won’t make that mistake again. I think I’ve developed an allergy for the very word. However,” he continued, his voice dropping to a husky whisper as he leaned over and nibbled at her neck, “I do make one hell of a good friend.”

****

Greg sat with Ginger until the sun made its full appearance. They spoke very little, Ginger lost in her thoughts and Greg blinking, trying to stay awake. If he noticed she was distracted, not quite as enthusiastic as she had been about the sun’s vibrant rays stretching toward the heavens, he didn’t show it. He’d held her hand, and they’d watched the horizon gradually dissolve into beautiful shades of gray, pink, and then blue.

And then the day began.

He rose from his chair and then stretched. She swallowed but kept her gaze focused out the front window. If she turned, if she looked at his strong, smooth chest, she would surely be overwhelmed by the memory of how his warm skin had felt pressed so close to hers. Her emotions were too raw right now; she wouldn’t be able to sustain her composure.

“As much as I hate to get back to the real world,” he said with a sigh, “I have a full day of appointments, so I’m going to run home and change clothes. I may not make it to the office today, but I’ll meet you at my house later this evening.” He wiggled his eyebrows and leaned down in front of her, placing both hands on the arms of her chair. “I don’t know how much work we’ll get done, though.” Then his head dipped, and he captured her lips in a kiss that left her breathless.

When he went to the bedroom to gather his clothes, she raised a trembling hand to her lips. I don’t want to get back to the real world, either.

She stood at the doorway until Greg drove off, Jack sitting at her feet, his tail thumping against the floor. Her hand drifted down to his big head where she rubbed him gently behind his ears.

How she was going to help Greg with his house was a question she wasn’t able to answer. If she didn’t force herself to continue with their normal routine, he would put two and two together and figure out she wanted much more from this relationship than he did. That would make working with him impossible.

The only thing she could do was begin to pull away in stages, and she would make sure the timing didn’t set off alarm bells.

“I’m going to lose a very good friend, Jack,” she whispered as her eyes filled. “And a man I’ve fallen desperately in love with.”

****

It had been a relatively quiet day in which Ginger was able to tackle some much-needed organizational projects. Several times she’d had to yank her thoughts back from dwelling on last night, from her first reaction to seeing Greg standing so handsome on her doorstep to the incredible lovemaking…

This wasn’t the time or the place to think about any of that, though. Later tonight, when she was alone with her thoughts, she would allow herself the opportunity to fall apart and then figure out how to explain to Greg they couldn’t continue their friendship, their relationship, or whatever it was they had.

She stretched her back and reached for another box of old file folders. The front door opened, and she looked up. “Can I help—?” The words stuck in her throat, and the smile slipped from her face. “What are you doing here, Todd?”

She clasped her hands together so he wouldn’t notice they were shaking. All the angry words she had wanted to hurl at him when she discovered he was married rose up in her, but she bit them back. Had it really been only a few months since she thought her world came to an end because this man betrayed her trust? It seemed like a lifetime ago, and all she wanted now was for him to disappear. He had no place in her life anymore.

Todd Greene was handsome, but not drop-dead gorgeous like Greg, and he was tall and slender, but not as tall as Greg and certainly not as muscular. And Todd’s blond hair and blue eyes seemed almost beach-boy counterfeit where Greg’s rugged, dark features were as real and natural as could be. Todd wore gray slacks with a deep blue dress shirt. The top buttons were undone, and the sleeves were rolled up. She was sure the look was staged, and she wasn’t impressed.

“Surprised, baby?” He walked toward her, a self-satisfied smile on his face. “I tried calling you, but you wouldn’t answer your phone. And then when your…friend answered the phone, I knew it was just a ploy to make me jealous. And it worked for a moment, before I realized you couldn’t have forgotten our relationship so quickly. I wanted to tell you I was coming to Texas. Honey, you look wonderful. Even better than the last time I saw you.”

His compliments weren’t flattering. They were nauseating. If she ever doubted she was truly over Todd, it only took seeing him again to convince her. She was angry at him, and yes, she was surprised he was here, but his presence didn’t hurt.

She made a point of stacking some loose folders on her desk. Her voice was cold. “I was over our relationship before I moved to Texas, Todd. And it’s a free country. You can go wherever you wish. You certainly don’t need to inform me of your travel plans. What I would like to know, though, is how you found out where I work.”

He hesitated. Then, with a shrug, he perched on the edge of her desk. He gave her a familiar smile, one that used to melt her heart. Now, however, it just irritated her. She looked at him, waiting for him to reply.

“I called your old office and pretended I was an attorney handling an outstanding issue with your parents’ estate. You had left a forwarding address for tax purposes, and since the receptionist was new, she didn’t hesitate to give me what I wanted,” he said smoothly. “Once I knew where you lived, it was easy to find out where you worked. But that’s not the point. I have something very important to tell you. Something you’re going to like.”

She raised her eyebrows. His arrogance was astounding, and the fiery anger at his dishonesty in tracking her down almost overwhelmed her, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he could affect her. “There’s nothing you have to say that I’m interested in hearing, Todd. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m really very busy.”

He sighed and lowered his head. Several seconds passed before he spoke. “Look,” he said quietly, “I know you’re upset. I want a chance to explain. It’s been eating me up alive that we never had a chance to talk. I was shocked to find out you had quit your job and moved. I just want to talk to you, Ginger. Please?”

She couldn’t help it. Her anger flared. “We had the chance to talk, Todd. Remember when you came to my apartment? You were determined to talk to me then. But you had no interest in hearing what I had to say. In fact, my words irritated you so much you resorted to violence. Or have you forgotten that? There’s nothing more to explain, and I don’t want to hear you trying to justify your behavior. There’s a reason I never answered my phone when you called, but you obviously can’t take a hint. I really wish you would just leave, Todd. I’m at work, and this is hardly the place to talk about what a lying cheat you are.”

His head jerked up as if she’d slapped him. He’d be even more concerned if he knew just how badly she wanted to do just that. How dare he come to her place of work and start this kind of conversation? She was grateful she was alone in the office and that nobody would be a witness to this embarrassing situation. What angered her was he couldn’t have known everybody would be gone. There could have been a team of co-workers in the back offices, and he still had the gall to come in here as if he called all the shots.

His eyes hardened. He seemed to be fighting for control. Good. She had hit a nerve, and he didn’t have a glib comeback this time. She kept her gaze steady on his and a calm expression on her face, but inside she was seething. What had she ever seen in this man? Looking at him now, she felt nothing but contempt.

Finally, he gave her a slight nod and stood. “You’re right,” he said with feigned sincerity. “This isn’t the time or the place to have this discussion. I’m determined to talk to you, though. You owe me that much, Ginger.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” she said slowly, ice dripping from her voice.

“Let me rephrase that. I owe it to you. I’ll come back here every day if necessary until you hear me out.”

She glared at him for several moments. He was serious. There was no way she was going to allow him to screw up her life again, this time by disclosing her past poor judgment to her current employers. If listening to him explain why he’d found it necessary to lie to her and cheat on his wife would get him out of her life, then she’d give him a few minutes. And then she’d be done with him once and for all.

“Fine. Call me after five today, and I’ll answer my phone.” And then I’m blocking you again.

A big smile split his face as he started for the door. “You won’t be sorry.”

“Todd?”

He turned and looked at her.

“Don’t ever come back to my office again.”

The smile slipped from his face but only for a moment. It came back in full force to team up with his cocky attitude as he saluted her and turned away.

As soon as the door closed behind him, she sank into her chair and dropped her head into her hands. She felt as if a rug had been pulled out from under her. Todd was probably in town for some sort of convention or something, but still, tracking down her place of employment felt like a sneaky and underhanded move. But what else should she expect from a sneaky and underhanded guy? He must have mastered those traits when he was running around on his wife.

Ginger was angry at herself for letting him affect her this way, but the feelings had been so intense the last time she saw him that maybe blowing off some steam and letting him know exactly what she thought of him would be a very healthy exercise. He’d said she wouldn’t be sorry if she talked to him. Maybe he was right. But she’d make sure he was going to be very, very sorry.

****

Greg placed his phone on the dashboard and stared out the windshield of his truck. He’d just pulled into his neighborhood pizza parlor when Ginger called. She’d sounded strange on the phone, and he didn’t buy her excuse of not coming over because of a sudden headache. He knew her well enough to know a simple headache wouldn’t have caused the drastic change in her attitude.

So what was really going on? But the minute the question crossed his mind, he knew the answer. She wasn’t happy about the direction their friendship had taken. It wasn’t the sex—he had no doubt she’d enjoyed that. And the passion had been real; she’d given of herself freely and completely, making the experience the most incredible night he’d ever spent with a woman. But Ginger had made it clear—many times—she wasn’t interested in anything more than friendship…and somehow she’d discovered he was falling for her. Falling very fast and very deep.

Damn it! This morning he’d made a concerted effort to stress that he didn’t want a long-term, serious relationship, and he thought he’d been successful in concealing that he’d been completely blown away by the surge of emotions she stirred in him. It had been building over time, these strong feelings, but he figured it was just because she was so much fun to be with. He hadn’t enjoyed such a relaxing, no-pressure relationship with a woman in…well, forever, he admitted to himself.

At the beginning of his relationship with Shandra, he’d had similar feelings, but they had been temporary, lasting only as long as it took him to realize she wasn’t the person he thought she was. But these feelings he had for Ginger weren’t dissipating at all; in fact, they were growing stronger every day.

Ginger’s personality didn’t change at the slightest whim. She was unique and full of surprises, yet still just as constant as the sunrise, which made his thoughts drift back to this morning as they’d sat together watching the sun shatter the darkness, brightening the day with promise and hope.

Or at least he’d thought. Somehow she’d seen through him. She’d erected a wall to protect herself, and her security senses must have been flashing wildly, warning her he wanted much more than a casual friendship. Hell, the realization had shocked even him, hitting him like a ton of bricks, almost stealing his breath. All during the day—in the middle of important meetings or while eating lunch or driving between appointments—he’d tried to analyze his feelings. He needed time to come to terms with this unexpected turn of events. And he needed time to make Ginger comfortable with the idea they could be so much more than friends.

But she was distancing herself before he could even come up with a plan.

Well, that was just too bad. His mind had been doing flip-flops all day long, trying to figure out how to handle what his heart was telling him. And then he recalled something his father had said on his wedding day to his new wife— “It’s sort of like having a powerful wave wash over you, but you’re not afraid to drown.” His father had fallen deeply in love with a woman who was still his soul mate to this day, even after the terrible heartache Greg’s mother had caused him when she left. Greg hadn’t understood it at the time—he had waited for his stepmother to do something that would cause his father unbearable pain—but it never happened.

He jumped out of his truck and slammed the door. He entered the pizza place with a strong sense of purpose. “Two large pizzas with everything on them,” he told the young girl behind the counter. If Ginger wasn’t coming over to his house, then he would go to hers. And if she really had a headache, the pizza would make her feel better. And if she didn’t, he knew he could break through any reservations she was having just by holding a slice under her nose.