Not a Chance(96)

"Well, I'm a pretty nice guy," Travis replied. "See you around, Arden."

She waved without looking at him. He walked out and forced himself to drive back to work. All he wanted to do was go home and wallow. But being with Dustin and Neil helped. They'd been bickering all day for no particular reason and Travis found amusement in that. Plus there was the Rebel to work on. And Emily to go home to.





That night it rained. Which was perfect for Travis's mood. By ten Dustin was asleep in his room and little Emily was tucked in her bassinet next to Travis's bed. He showered and then went to the kitchen. There was half a pie left from Emma's mom from when he'd been in the hospital. Travis grabbed it and hit the couch with the remote. He flipped channels until he found some drag racing. Then he dug into the last half of the pecan pie.

He made it halfway through it when someone banged on his front door. He set the pie on the coffee table, stood and went to the door. He opened it to find a shivering, rain-soaked Arden. No coat or anything. Mascara streaked down her face. He almost jumped when he saw her.

She shoved her way in the house past him and then turned to face him.

"What..." Travis started.

"You could have been fucking killed!" she screamed at him. "I prayed and prayed for you to be okay. I told you a hundred times that that son-of-a-bitch was no good but you just had to go try and save him!" She fell apart into sobs.

Travis watched in awe. Her voice was harsh and scratchy, as though she'd had a cold or been yelling for a long time.

She fought for control of her emotions. "Emma told me that one of the stabs pierced your lung. I saw the knife he stabbed you with, it was huge. You could have been killed, Travis! I could have lost you! And you went there by yourself and what if that woman hadn't called 911? Huh? Did you ever think about that? What if they'd just let you die and then hid you somewhere and I never found out what happened? Did you think of that? Did you think what would happen to the people who love you? To Emily?"

Travis felt a tear escape down his cheek. "Arden, I..."

"I love you, Travis!"

Travis felt his breath catch in his chest.

"I love you so damn much. I don't know how you weaseled your way into my heart like this, but I can't stand the thought that you were hurt. It's making me fucking crazy!"

Travis stepped forward and grabbed her arm. "You need to calm down."

She jerked her arm away and shoved him with both hands against his chest. The jarring motion hurt his wounds and he suppressed a wince. "What was I supposed to do, Travis?" she asked, still shouting. "Just stand around and make myself sick with worry? Stand by your side no matter what dumbass thing you do? Am I supposed to make myself vulnerable to this kind of pain all the time?"

"Yes," Travis said, raising his voice. "That's exactly what you do for someone you love. You have the courage to risk feeling pain. You were a fucking coward, Arden. I needed you and you weren't there. I woke up in that goddamn hospital looking for you and you weren't there. All because you didn't want to get hurt. You think I'm going to feel sorry for you? I don't, Arden. Because I would have been there for you. I love you, God help me, and I'd do anything for you."

Her face contorted in pain and she turned away from him. He watched as her shoulders shook, little gasps and sniffles escaping now and then. The debate warred within him over whether to hold her or not. In the end, he stood his ground.

She wiped her eyes harshly with her palms. She turned back to face him. He'd never seen her this broken down. Some sadistic part of him was glad. The rest of him just wanted to rescue her.

"Travis," she said, her voice more controlled, but still shaky. "I know it was wrong. I know I should have been by your side. I made the wrong decision and I am so, so sorry."

He stared at her and waited.

She took in a shuddering breath. "Can't you forgive me, Travis?"

He exhaled and smiled slightly. "Of course I forgive you. Life's too short to hold grudges, right?"

She blinked and nodded. "Th...thank you. I've never been so sorry about anything in my life."

Travis waited.

"So...so do we have another chance? You and I?"

Travis's whole body reacted. His palms tingled with the need to touch her. He wanted her. He could have her right now and everything would be back to the way it was. The only problem was, now there was a voice in his mind telling him that he needed to walk away from her. He didn't usually listen to that voice. Of course, ignoring the voice was probably the reason he'd lost his car and been stabbed by his brother. He decided that now it was time to start listening to reason.

He shook his head. "I don't think so," he said softly.