The Letter(57)

“Okay. Of course it’s up to you. But if you never push back, Rick will control your life until the day you die. That’s all I’m saying on this.” Becky Lee turned away from the table. “Oh…”

Bella heard her friend’s tone of voice and turned to see Owen standing beside the table. “Owen.”

His eyes told her that he’d heard some, if not all, of her conversation. He nodded curtly to Becky Lee and she turned to thread her way through the tables, leaving Bella to fight her own battle.

Owen sat down at the table without a word, one eye brow cocked expectantly.

“I’m sorry you heard all that. I wanted to explain. I mean—” What did she mean? How to explain so that he’d understand.

Owen just sat there looking at her, waiting.

She sucked in a breath. “It just isn’t working out. Not for me. Jeremy is so upset. I can’t bear to cause him more pain. He isn’t ready for me to date.” She fiddled with the napkin roll in front of her. “And Rick is threatening to cause legal problems. I just can’t handle the stress now. I need some peace in the boys’ lives—in my life—now.”

~ * ~

Owen stared into the fathomless depths of Bella’s emerald green eyes. He’d put that worry in her eyes. The uncertainty. The pain. The businessman in him wanted to rise up and challenge Rick and beat him at his own game. Wanted to take him to court and once and for all break the hold he had over Bella. But he knew it wasn’t his choice to make. He clenched his jaw, choosing his words carefully.

“First, I want to apologize again for letting Jeremy get hurt on my watch. There is no excuse for that. I should’ve handled the whole evening better.”

“It’s not your fault. It was an accident. I know that.”

Bella’s voice almost sounded like she meant it. Almost.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do? Break up completely? We could just go out when the boys are at Rick’s. Give Jeremy more time to adjust.”

“I don’t think that will work. Rick will hear about it. I don’t want to sneak around with you.”

“I don’t either. I want to be with you. Out in the open. Go places. Share things. Spend time with you.” He reached across to cover her hand. She slipped her hand out of his grasp and placed it in her lap.

“I just don’t think that can happen now.” Bella looked down at the table.

He could swear, just before she bowed her head, that tears were chasing the corners of her eyes. His heart tightened in his chest. He’d caused this pain. He’d been unable to click with Jeremy, much less keep him safe. He was horrible with kids. Horrible. He had no clue about them. Of course Bella would choose her boys over him. She wouldn’t be Bella if she made any other choice.

“I agree. Things just aren’t working out.” He’d say anything to make it easier on her. He put on his best blank businessman face. He wasn’t about to let Bella see how hard this was on him. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and take away all her troubles, but that wasn’t going to happen.

He’d been so proud of himself for finding a way to fix things when he’d bought out the building her shop had been in, and had found her a new place. But he couldn’t fix this one with money or with negotiations.

Bella looked up then, her eyes searching his face. She turned away and looked out the window. “Then it’s all settled.” Her voice was soft and low.

“I’m sorry it worked out this way, but I guess not seeing each other any more is for the best.” Liar. But Bella didn’t need to know that.

“I’ll be going out of town for a while. That should make it easier if we don’t bump into each other all the time.” He wasn’t sure what business plans were taking him out of town, but he was darn certain something needed to be attended to. Far away.

“You don’t have to leave. You have your brother and Sylvia here. I don’t want to chase you away from your family.”

“No, I have business out of town. You’re not chasing me away.” It’s more like I’m running away. As much as he’d like to stay and fight, he knew he’d be doing that for himself, not for Bella. What she wanted now was some peace in her life. He’d do that. He’d do anything in the world to make Bella’s life better. If that meant leaving her, then that was what he’d do.

He pushed back from the table and stood up, every movement feeling like he was trudging through quicksand. “Goodbye, Bella. You take care of yourself.”

With his heart plummeting in his chest, he turned and walked away. Away from the only woman he’d truly cared about. The one woman he’d never had time to tell exactly how he felt about her. To tell her he had fallen in love with her.