Bidding on Her Boss(29)

Faith's eyes stung with tears that she wouldn't let fall-they had been  intense. She swallowed before she could reply. "So Dylan hasn't said  anything?"

"No, which isn't like him. I can usually wheedle information out of  him, but when your name comes up, he clams up. Come on," she said, her  voice ultrasweet, "tell Aunty Jenna what happened. You know you want  to."

Jenna was right-having no one to talk to about it had made her heart feel even heavier. "But Dylan is your family..."

"Don't worry about that. If he's treated you badly, I'll be mad at him,  but he'll always be Bonnie's uncle and soon he'll be Meg's uncle too.  There's nothing you can say about Dylan that will ruin my relationship  with him. Tell me what he did."

"He didn't do anything," Faith admitted. "It was me." She curled her  legs up underneath her on the hard chair and told Jenna the whole story.

"So," Jenna said when Faith was done, "Dylan loves you but you won't trust him to stick around?"

Already feeling raw from reliving everything that had happened, the  words hit her hard. "It's not about trusting him-it's about  relationships in general. I...have trouble believing in them."

"Faith, Dylan is the most steadfast man you're ever likely to meet.  He's devoted himself to his family's business since he was a child. He's  always there for his brothers, for his parents, for me. You might have  trouble believing in relationships, but if Dylan offers a commitment, he  means it."

The floor was falling away from under her feet, and all Faith could do  was squeeze her eyes shut. He'd been prepared to commit to her as well,  but she'd thrown it away. Had she made the biggest mistake of her life?

A man who was committed to all the things in his life that were  important to him was nothing like her own family, yet she'd been  expecting him to behave the way they had. She'd taken her issues with  her family out on him.

She hadn't been fair to either one of them. Her stomach clenched and dipped.

Unfortunately, even if it was a mistake, it was too late. After their  last morning together, he wouldn't ever want to see her again. The pain  in his eyes when he'd seen her packing her things had felt like a slap.

He would never trust her again, and she couldn't blame him.

* * *

Dylan sat in a wingback in his pristine white-on-white living room and  swore. Then he took another mouthful of the beer he'd been nursing for a  good ten minutes. This room was mind-numbingly dull. How had he never  noticed that before? The interior designer who'd done the place had told  him it would look modern, crisp and fresh. But it looked bland.

Like his entire life.

When Faith left, she'd taken all the damn sunshine with her. He hadn't  found the energy to get excited about-or even interested in-anything for  weeks. Maybe he never would again.

He took another swig of the beer.

Regardless, he shouldn't be giving her another thought. She'd given up  on what they had, on their future. Hell, she'd left the state without a  second thought. The best thing he could do was forget her. Which,  naturally, was easier said than done.

There were voices at his door, and then the sound of people letting  themselves in. Only his housekeeper, parents and brothers had their own  keys. His parents had enough manners not to use them, and it was his  housekeeper's day off. Which left his brothers. He sighed. He was in no  mood to see them or anyone.                       
       
           



       

"I'm not home," he called out.

Ignoring him, Adam and Liam headed through the entryway, straight for him.

"So this is your answer," Adam said, shaking his head. "Drinking on a Saturday morning."

"I'm not drinking. I'm having a beer and watching football."

Liam made a point of looking around the room. "Are you doing it telepathically? Or hadn't you noticed the TV isn't on?"

"Not yet, smartass. I was about to switch it on when you barged in here. Also, I want the keys back."

Adam crossed his arms over his chest. "We're worried-this isn't like  you. Tell us what you're going to do about your relationship."

Dylan looked away. "I don't have a relationship."

"With Faith," Adam said with exaggerated patience.

Dylan pointed a finger at his brother. "I seem to recall you were the one constantly telling me not to get involved with her."

"True." Adam nodded, seemingly unperturbed. "And my word should be law  to my younger brothers. Yet you ignored me and went ahead anyway. What  does that tell you?"

"That you're deluded about the extent of your power over us?" Dylan  looked down at his beer. There was only half left. He was going to need a  lot more alcohol to make it through this conversation.

Liam dropped onto a sofa across from him. "That's a good point, and  we'll return to that later. But Adam's right. You broke company policy  for this woman. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't been there  watching the whole thing unfold."

"I made a mistake," Dylan said and took another swig of his beer,  hoping they didn't see through him, because he'd make that same mistake  again in a flash if it meant more time with Faith.

Adam blew out a breath. "I saw the way you and Faith defended each  other at the launch. You're in love. Both of you. So why are you  drinking here alone?"

Dylan flinched. That was a hell of a question, but not one he wanted to  get into with his brothers. "She's gone. Feel free to follow her lead,  and make sure you close the door on the way out."

Propping one ankle on a knee, Liam leaned back in the sofa. "Did you ask her to stay?"

Did he ask her to stay? What sort of idiot did they take him for? He  drew in a measured breath before replying. "Of course I asked her to  stay. I even bought her a damn ring."

Liam rubbed a hand over his jaw. "I've come to know Faith, and I think I understand her."

Adam and Dylan both turned disbelieving eyes to him.

Liam shrugged. "Okay, Jenna understands her. But still, she told me a couple of things."

Adam sighed. "If Jenna had some ideas, out with it."

"Faith didn't need a ring," Liam said, leaning forward and resting his  forearms on his knees. "She needed you, you moron. Words have always  come easy to you, and she knows that, so how would she know what to  believe?"

Dylan frowned. "Jenna called me a moron?"

"No, that part was me. But listen up. You have to do something to show  her that you're in it for the long haul. That you'll stand by her."  Liam's eyes narrowed. "You are in it for the long haul, aren't you?"

"Would I have bought her a ring if I was going to bail out?"

Adam nodded. "So if you want her back, you won't be able to rely on  your gift of gab. You can't just talk-you'll have to show her."

For a long moment, Dylan was speechless. They were right. He'd known  her childhood had been full of promises that had quickly been broken-how  had he not realized he'd need to do something more?

People had loved her in the past only when she fitted into their lives,  and he'd pretty much asked her to say no to a new job for him. He  rubbed his hand down his face. Hell, he'd asked her to give up a great  opportunity because he lived in LA-to fit in with his life.

Adam dug his hands into his pockets. "Final question, then we'll leave. Is what you had with Faith worth fighting for?"

Dylan stilled. Was it too late to show her that his love didn't depend  on anything else? That he'd take her on her own terms? And how would he  show her? He'd have to make a change in his life for her. So she  wouldn't simply have to fit in with him ever again.

He reached for his cell. "Let yourselves out," he said without looking  at his brothers. "And leave your keys. I was serious about that."                       
       
           



       

He didn't have to look up to know his brothers were smiling, but he  ignored them and made a call. He had several calls to make and was  impatient to get going. The sooner he started on the plan that was  forming in his mind, the sooner he could see Faith.

* * *

Excitement bubbling away in her belly, Faith checked the address again  and looked up at the building. Yes, the gorgeous apartment building on  the edge of Central Park was the right place.

Jenna had called a couple of days ago, saying she'd be in New York for a  few days visiting a friend and would love to meet up, and Faith had  jumped at the offer.

A doorman asked if he could help, and Faith said she was visiting a  friend in 813. The doorman smiled and said she was expected, and then  ushered her to the elevator.

Once she'd found the right floor, she buzzed the button outside  apartment 813 and waited. But when the door swung open, it was Dylan on  the threshold, not Jenna. He looked so tall and solid and gorgeous and  Dylan that Faith's throat tightened too much to speak. So she just stood  there and drank in the sight of him.