She loved him, and he was engaged to someone else.
“I’m sorry I hurt you.” His nostrils flared. “And I meant every word I said in those messages. I’d do anything to go back. To do things differently.”
To do what differently?
Never ask me to be your fiancée?
“Just go, Benjamin. It’s over.”
“I—I see.” Reaching out, he brushed his knuckles across her cheekbone, sadness taking over his features. But why would he be sad? “I’m sorry, darling. I never meant to hurt you. Or to be like all the other guys in your life. And I never wanted you to hate me.”
She closed her eyes, shutting out him and his touch. “Go home, Benjamin. You don’t belong here any more than I belong in the city.”
“Can’t you forgive me? We could at least be friends.” He swallowed. “I don’t want to lose you completely, darling. Please.”
She shook her head once. “No.”
“I’m so fucking sorry, Maggie.” His touch lingered, and he moved closer, pressing his mouth against her forehead. “You were my one chance at happiness. My one shot at true love. Guess it just goes to show that guys like me don’t deserve love, or happiness. And I certainly don’t deserve you.”
With that, he got in his car and drove away.
By the time his words pierced through the thick shield of pain surrounding her, he was gone. Wait…had he just said he loved her? That she’d made him happy?
But what about Elizabeth? His mother hadn’t lied about that. She saw them kissing with her own eyes. So why was he talking about being in love with Maggie?
She ran her arm across her forehead, took a deep breath, and pulled her phone out. Swiping her finger across the screen, she opened her voicemail and braced herself to listen to them all. He’d called once a day, every day, and it was time to hear to what he had to say…like she should have done before sending him away.
She hit play on the newest message.
“Hey. It’s me again. I hope you’re not mad at me for doing what I did. I figured if your parents were safe and settled, maybe you’d be ready to come back home. You don’t want to talk to me, and I was an asshole the last time you saw me, but I…” He paused, and she held her breath. “I miss you, Maggie. I miss you so damn much it hurts. I’m alone again, and I should be used to that after being alone for years, but after having you in my life…I’m not. Come home to me. I’ll be waiting. I’ll wait for you forever, if that’s what it takes. You know what? Screw that. I’m coming to you, and I’m not leaving without you unless you tell me to. Even then, I won’t give up on you. I need you, darling.”
Click.
Hands shaking, she played the second newest message. “I’m miserable without you, Maggie. I’m even more of a beast than before. I’m sorry my mother did what she did to you, and I’m going to fix it. I’m going to save your farm. It’s not what you wanted, or what you expected, but I miss you. And I need you to come back to me and be mine again. Please.”
Click.
She listened to the rest of the messages, each one more or less the same. He missed her. He wanted her back. He was sorry. He didn’t love Elizabeth. He didn’t want to marry Elizabeth, and he never had, and she kissed him, not the other way around. It was all a ruse devised by his mother.
Of freaking course.
And she’d fallen for it.
Maggie collapsed into the rocking chair, since her legs would no longer support her, and stared up at the bright blue sky, phone held to her heart. He didn’t love Elizabeth. He wasn’t with her—and he wanted Maggie to come home to him.
God, she wanted to, because she loved him, and maybe he loved her, too.
Sure, he hadn’t said as much, but he’d left her ten messages begging her to come back because he missed her. And he’d taken a break from work, flown out here, and tried to get her to come back when she refused to answer his calls.
If that wasn’t love, she wasn’t sure what was.
Chapter Eighteen
Benjamin made his way toward the door as he fought through the crowd at the Met, trying his best not to look utterly bored and miserable. But he probably failed because he was both of those things, and he wasn’t in the fucking mood to pretend otherwise. While he used to be good at hiding his feelings, lately…well, he sucked ass at it.
He missed Maggie and her smile and her laugh and the way she made him laugh. Hell, he missed every damn thing about her. He’d been falling for her before she’d climbed under his table and announced he was her fiancé, and he’d fallen even harder after that. There was no coming back from that, and he didn’t want to.
He just wanted her to come back—into his arms and never leave again. But she made it pretty damn clear she wouldn’t. She was finished with him. Over him.