Waking Up Married(63)
A round of laughter sounded from the group where Megan stood, the musical quality of hers standing out to his ear above the rest. Threatening to pull at the place he’d called off-limits.
Slender fingers fanned wide at her neck as, head tipped back, she enjoyed whatever story Lenny was sharing with his audience.
Beautiful.
When her eyes opened again, he turned away.
He’d about exhausted the second chances he was going to get with this woman, so no more letting go and building unrealistic expectations he wouldn’t be able to deliver on. Wouldn’t want to deliver on.
“So it’s true?”
Connor’s head jerked around toward the source of that well-cultured East Coast accent. Even in accusation, the modulated delivery was as polished as if she’d been inquiring after a great-aunt’s health.
Caro.
Instinct had him ready to check whether Megan could see them, but he tamped the need down.
If she happened to be looking his way, he’d attract less attention by simply exchanging a few pleasantries before moving on. Moving out.
That was what he would do.
Collect Megan and take her out of there.
She was aware of his previous engagement to Caro and knew their parting had been a recent thing.
Of course, the specifics... He’d shared them the night they met. Intended to share them after, as well. But first, he’d been fighting so hard to win her over. And then everything had been too good to chance ruining. And this past week, he hadn’t wanted to add one more thing.
There hadn’t been any urgency because he hadn’t expected Caro to turn up. Only, here she was, standing two feet away, peering up at him with eyes revealing nothing of her true feelings. Her smile in place—the one he’d seen every single time they’d shared space through the duration of their relationship. Smooth. Polished.
“Caro, I hadn’t heard you were back in town. How have you been?”
“How have I been, Connor?” A cool voice, a pleasant smile. “Humiliated.”
His gut knotted. He should have gotten in touch with her. Told her himself.
“You shouldn’t feel that way,” he said. Then, hoping to ease the sting, added, “Everyone knows you left me. You broke our relationship off—”
“Our engagement. You were going to marry me.”
He nodded, a gathering tension spreading through his shoulders. Along his spine.
“Yes. You broke off our engagement,” he conceded, keeping his voice as low as she’d managed to keep hers. Even so, he could feel the burn of eyes on them. Could sense the attention this few minutes’ exchange had garnered. A quick scan of the area by their table showed Megan had moved.
Good.
He’d wrap this up and then get her out of there. With Caro back in town, he needed to tell Megan everything. She might not love the timing of how it had all played out, but she’d understood that first night. He had to believe she would understand now.
Caro’s voice took on a sharper edge than he’d ever heard from her, assuring even more attention turning on them. “How could you do this to me?”
He met her eyes, sincere in his apology. “I never intended for you to be hurt. We ended the relationship and you left. Went back east—”
“Because I wanted more from you. I wanted you to realize what we had. What you were giving up. I’ve been waiting—” She broke off, the emotion in her voice spilling over into her eyes.
“You said you wanted something you knew we didn’t have. Something that wasn’t between us. You never implied—”
“I thought you needed to figure it out on your own. That given enough time, you would realize you wanted more than an ‘understanding.’ I thought you would come after me.”
No. It wasn’t possible. Caro couldn’t be standing in the middle of this ballroom with tears spilling down her cheeks. Not this woman he’d never seen with a hair out of place, who’d never raised her voice or been anything but the most polished, lovely, impenetrable piece of porcelain beauty in his presence.