He looks straight through the camera, right into my eyes. “See, folks, I spent some time with Ms. Fitz, and the more time I was with her, the more time I wanted with her. She captured my heart. I’m a fool for ever doubting her and for betting against her.”
I push the blanket from my lap into the floor. Leaning forward, I wait. My heart beats so loudly that it almost drowns out his next words.
“Ronnie. I was wrong. I love you, Peaches. Please accept my sincerest apologies for not taking you or your work seriously.”
Jack yanks at his tie, pulling it loose. He picks my book up again and points to it. “If Ronnie Fitz can catch a guy like me—a confirmed bachelor, who was very happy with his life and had less than zero desire to change anything—then it’s obvious that her book is not a bunch of crap. It’s gold. Ronnie, I’m so in love with you, I can’t even think about a future without you. I don’t know if you’re watching this, but if you are, please hear me. I love you. I miss you. I want us back.”
Coming out of my seat, I step to the television and touch the screen where his beautiful eyes plead with me.
I turn to Gee-Gee, my lungs about to burst. I let out the great breath I’ve been holding. “Did you hear him?”
Gee-Gee nods, her eyes closing, a smile playing at her lips. “I did indeed.”
“But, why? Why would he do that? On television?”
Gee-Gee cocks her head. “Maybe because he’s been—what do you call it? Oh—blowing up your phone for the better part of a week and you won’t answer.”
I make it to the sofa before my weakened knees give out. I drop my face into my hands. “What should I do, Gee-Gee?”
She pats my back. “Sweet Girl, I can’t tell you that. You need to listen to your h—”
The doorbell rings. Gee-gee’s little Pomeranian hops down off the recliner, where it’s been napping, yapping its fuzzy little head off as it leads me to the entry way.
I open the door.
Jackson Tremaine stands on the other side.
I shut the door.
My heart kicks the shit out of my lungs. It must be winning, because I can’t breathe.
Gee-gee comes to the door and pushes me aside. “Let the boy in. After what he just did, the least you can do is tell him to his face if you don’t want him.”
Want him?
Do I want him?
My hand goes to my belly. I bite my lip and swallow.
Will he want us, when I refuse to take care of it?
Gee-Gee opens the door. “Come in, Jackson. Ronnie was just caught by surprise, since you seem to have beamed yourself here from LA. We were just watching your show.”
Jackson pushes what must be two dozen red roses at me. “We taped that earlier this afternoon. I hoped you’d see it.”
I hand the roses to Gee-Gee.
She grins as she takes them. “They’re beautiful. I’ll just put these in some water and leave you two to talk.”
I stand, staring at Jackson, my pulse erratic and my throat tight. I bite my bottom lip and cross my arms.
He takes up so much of the small entry that I’m tempted to step backward. But I don’t know if I want to fully let him in yet.
Jackson clears his throat. “Peaches? I’m sorry for just showing up, but I had to see you.”
I lift my chin a bit as I back up a step. “I’ve warned you not to just show up. What if I was—”
“Sick? I know. I know. I don’t care if you’re sick. You can puke on me anytime you want. Hell, I’ll even clean up after you’ve had uncontrollable rabbit squirts.” He grins.
My breath whooshes out. “Aw. And here I thought you could be serious for just one minute.”
He rubs at the back of his neck. “Okay. That was in bad taste. Sorry. I’m just…I’m nervous as fuck. I’m hardly ever nervous, but you’ve got me turned inside out and hanging upside down.”
The baby I can’t even feel yet looms in my mind. The what-ifs and how-comes and all the doubt that I’ve ever felt about this man and his intentions has manifested in front of me—right where he stands.
“Ronnie, I know I messed up. I do. I can only hope you’ll consider forgiving me. Please. I’ve missed you so fucking bad. You and I, we’re good together. Surely you know that.”
I tuck my fingernail between my teeth. A throb starts between my eyes. I push my hand over my face and into my wild curls. “I don’t know that, Jack. I don’t think you and I have the same long-term goals at this point.”
He squints, turning his head just slightly. “Wait. What? Long-term goals? Ronnie, I want to be with you. Long-term.”
I shake my head and turn away. “Well, that’s not good enough, Jack.”