“Um, why are you grinning?”
“You’ll understand when I finish. So at some point during the day, he would find a single red rose somewhere around the church. He was starting to get worried and tried to be more vigilant. I’d told him it was probably one of the stiletto-wearing chicks. He rang me this morning to tell me he’d caught the culprit red handed. Her name is Betty and she is an eighty-two year old woman who is missing her husband. Apparently, Dante reminds her of him and the roses are what they used to do during their courting days. He was lost for words and had no idea what to say to her. On one hand, it’s funny because he was terrified it was one of the younger women who are always staring at him, but on the other it’s sweet and sad. I mean what a life she must have had to get to eighty-two years old, and I can’t help but wonder how long she’d been together with her husband when he died.”
“That is so sweet,” I blubber.
“Oh hell, Sabrina. I didn’t tell you that to make you cry, I thought it would make you smile.”
“I’ve been crying on and off all day and these pregnancy hormones make me ten times worse. Thank you for telling me that story. I really hope to meet Dante one day. He sounds nice.”
He rolls his eyes.
“I’ll keep that to myself. Don’t want it going to his head, and thinking your stalking him.”
I laugh as my tears dry up.
Over the past few days, I’ve enjoyed Eric’s company, but I think he’s lonely. He’s a marine, but he hasn’t been active for months. Not sure why, convalescent leave they said, but since no one has explained it, I haven’t asked. If he wants me to know he’ll tell me. I mean he tells me everything else.
“So tell me,” Eric pauses, and waits until I meet his gaze before continuing, “did that distract you from my cousin?”
“Yeah, temporarily,” I admit.
“I’ve seen how unhappy you are Sabrina, but are you sure there isn’t anything anyone can do to help you both get back together?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. I love him Eric,” I swallow down the sob trying to burst forth. “The problem is that he doesn’t love me or considered me part of his family. I was living with him as a normal couple. I’m carrying his child so I thought at least I was part of his family, you know. When he practically told me I wasn’t, I realized I couldn’t stay anymore.” I shrug. “We might have been able to work through what happened with the ultrasound, but hearing him say he passed me over for family hurt. A lot.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t have any choice but to carry on. I have a growing baby to think about. I’m just not sure where I’m going to go. If I’m honest, I’m worried about Lucien. He looked as broken as I felt when I left. I can’t get his look out of my head.”
“He has his brothers. Don’t worry about him. Just worry about yourself and baby for now.”
“I know I need to, it’s just difficult. The love I have for him isn’t just going to disappear, regardless of his callous words. I’m not sure it ever will.”
A buzzing from Eric’s pocket has him scrambling for his phone. Glancing at the screen, his mouth tightens into a frown—obviously the text message isn’t good.
“Hell. I need to head back. I’m sorry Sabrina. Will you be alright on your own?”
I smile. “I was alright all morning.”
“Okay.”
He gets up and hesitates before kissing me on the head.
Without another word, he slips on his work boots and slips through the door, leaving me with my thoughts.
Chapter Thirty
Lucien
My brothers, as usual, think they know best and are now in my kitchen warming up the food the girls have sent. Providing I stop hiding in my bedroom like a coward, it will be the first meal I will have eaten since Sabrina walked out. I don’t blame her for walking because I was a complete bastard.
I mean, what the fuck possessed me to say she wasn’t family? The minute the words left my mouth, I knew what I’d done. Watching her face as the words registered had killed me. Being honest with myself, I’d said them because I was feeling backed into a corner so I snapped. I knew she was right with the accusations she was throwing at me, that I was wrong but I couldn’t admit it and I’d ended up hurting her badly.
Now after three days of misery, my brother’s have arrived, letting themselves in because I refused to answer the door. I’m just thankful that the girls stayed away because I’m not sure how I’d have handled seeing them together with the love they have for my brothers. I had all that and I threw her away with my callous words.