She blinked for a second, as if processing, then plowed on. “Regardless. That you’d still do business with Beth after you broke up, when she is clearly in love with you, is just . . . clueless on your part. And that you could blow off Emily’s party when she adores you, is selfish and thoughtless. I need a man who puts his family first. Not a guy who refuses to engage his heart in order to protect it from ever getting hurt!”
Direct hit. But she was the first to make him want to chance being hurt.
He held his hands out and pleaded, “I’m sorry, Shelby. I never meant to hurt you. I’ll do anything to make things right. To prove that I love you.”
“Love me?” The dam broke and Shelby’s tears streamed down her face again. She made a choking sound before she turned and opened her car door. After she slipped inside she said quietly, “Words, Nick. You’re good at using them, but you don’t have any idea what they really mean. We’re done.”
As Shelby drove away, his throat constricted. He’d just lost the only woman he’d ever loved.
He’d forgotten Lori and Jo were still there until his sister said, “Why did you spy on her business, Nick?”
He met Lori’s icy stare. “Grandma asked me to help you save your matchmaking business.”
“I was afraid of that.” Lori crossed her arms and huffed out a breath. “If you’d had the consideration to talk to me, rather than doing this behind everyone’s back, you would have figured out I sold my client list to Dating.com the day I asked you to take Em to the bookstore. There’s no business to save, Nick.”
“What?” The air whooshed from his lungs. “How could you have done that? You love being a matchmaker.”
“I need to support Emily on my own now. I made enough money from the sale so I can finish up my degree. I don’t have the luxury of doing what I love for a living . . . like you evidently do. But then, I’d never let my job become more important than my family, so maybe it’s best this way. Have fun with your client this weekend. Emily will get over it . . . eventually.”
Jo sent him a frown as she turned and followed his sister back into the café, leaving him standing in the middle of the parking lot. Alone.
Digging out his keys, he slowly trudged to his car and got in. He’d let them all down. Shelby, his grandmother, Lori, and even Emily.
A complete fail.
He laid his forehead on the steering wheel and closed his eyes.
Maybe he was better off being single and avoiding relationships like before. Shelby was right. He’d just hurt everyone in his life he cared for—just like his father had.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Losing Julie gave Chester a sore heart.”
Chester is a Sad, Sad Monkey
Shelby, curled up on top of her bedspread with her knees drawn to her chest, moaned. She’d cried so hard the past few hours, there was nothing left.
Having your soul ripped out hurt.
She’d allow herself to wallow for a day or two, but no longer than that. She was a tough woman, one no man could destroy. But how could she have been so blind?
On a sob she gave in to the truth. She wasn’t tough at all. More like humiliated, defeated, and right back to that same insecure-about-her-legs-and-unworthy-of-love girl she’d been before she’d met Nick. Worse, now she knew what it felt like to feel beautiful and loved by a man. Even if it had only been for a day and hadn’t been real. She’d be so much better off if she’d never known.
Maybe if she pretended to be strong it’d eventually become true?
She should have listened when Nick had told her straight up he didn’t date because he didn’t want marriage and a family. He wasn’t ever planning to have a real relationship with her, he just wanted to sleep with her.
She deserved a man who wanted the same things she did. Maybe seeing Nick’s true colors saved her from worse heartache later.
Thank God she hadn’t told him she loved him. That would’ve just made her look even more like the fool she was.
A quiet knock sounded on her bedroom door before Jo poked her head inside. “Hi.”
Shelby rolled over and flopped onto her back. Staring up at the ceilings, she croaked out, “Hey.”
The side of the bed sank with Jo’s weight. “Have you eaten anything since breakfast? It’s almost eight.”
Shelby shook her head. “Not hungry.”
“I figured you’d say that.” Jo grabbed Shelby’s hand and yanked. “Can’t have you wasting away to nothing. Luckily, I know the one thing you can’t resist.”
Shelby let herself be dragged to the kitchen like a rag doll. When she got there, her eyes widened. “You made me a sundae bar?” There must’ve been twenty topping choices, including her all-time favorites: crushed Heath bars, M&M’s, gummy bears, nuts, real whipped cream in the spray can, hot fudge, and chocolate sauce. There could never be enough variations of chocolate. But no cherries. She hated cherries. And best of all, chocolate shell for the top.