Page 44 of When Annika Met Thom

“Yes.” He eyed her. “Why does that seem like the wrong answer?”

“It’s not very showy. No roses or dropping to one knee to propose in a public place.”

“Haven’t you had enough of that?” he asked then hurried on when her smile disappeared. “I trust in sincerity. When guys do that public proposal thing, it feels like a show for everyone but the lady in question, at least to me.”

She pleated the comforter, watching her hands. “If we were together and I’d come to New York to stay with you, how would it have been different?”

“I would have been excited that you were coming. I’d want you to know that.”

“How would I?” She looked up.

“I would have met your train.”

“With a bouquet of roses?”

“No! That would have been something more to carry and you had plenty.”

Annika laughed, surprised into it.

“I would have carried your stuff and navigated the transit system, maybe even splashed out for a cab.”

“You would have been there for me,” she said softly.

“Of course.” He pushed to his feet, feeling uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. “But you didn’t come to meet me and you never will.”

“Exactly,” she said softly, and much to his relief. She looked around the apartment as if she’d never seen it before. “This is not what I expected,” she said quietly, as if speaking her thoughts aloud.

“I guess not,” Thom said, searching for the bright side. “But now you know the truth.”

“I had Leo,” she said as if he hadn’t spoken.

Shit. Was it important that the actor who had played Jack was named Leo? Was it important that the chick in the movie was alone without her true love, just like Annika was now? Thom knew he was in emotional territory and he’d never had a map to this place.

He’d run for the border if he’d known where to find it.

“And now you have freedom,” he said, wishing he knew what she actually wanted.

“There is that,” she said with a thoughtful nod. “It’s just weird.”

That wouldn’t have been Thom’s choice of word. He waited.

“I used to be so grateful when I was out with my friends, listening to their dating woes and what the most recent jerk did. I used to feel a bit smug, actually, having all that solved and squared away.” She shrugged. “I guess the joke was on me.”

“It’s not a joke to be betrayed by someone you trust.”

“No, it’s not. But losing Leo isn’t as much of a tragedy as I would have expected it to be.” She looked up at him. “In a way, it’s kind of a relief.”

“Then you must have suspected.”

She nodded. “Yes. I think I did.”

“And that’s why you’re crying?”

“No! I’m crying because the movie was sad.” She got up from the couch and shook out the comforter that had been wrapped around her, her tone practical. “And I’m mad at myself for not adding up the clues to figure out what was really going on.” She gave him another hard look. “It takes two to trick someone.”

“One to be deceptive and one to be gullible.”

“Exactly. And I’m done with beinggullible.” She looked both fierce and adorable and it was hard for Thom to turn away.

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