Page 107 of Always Be Mine

I was hoping you would, but I don’t blame you for not answering the phone. I need to apologize to you.

For a lot of things.

The first and most important thing is that I’m so sorry for asking you to keep our relationship secret. That wasn’t fair of me. Especially after you told me about your ex and how poorly he treated you. That was wrong, and I’m so sorry.

You deserve so much better than that, Lucy.

I thought I was doing the right thing for everyone, but I know now I wasn’t. I hurt you. And for that, I will be eternally sorry because I never want to hurt you, Lucy. I…

He stopped himself from telling her he loved her. He needed to look her in the eyes when he told her that for the first time.

I also need to apologize for not telling you why I hired you. I don’t know why I didn’t. I think I was ashamed to learn that my father thought I needed help after all. I was too proud to share that with you. I’m sorry.

Craig took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

There’s a lot more I want to say, and I really hope I get the chance to say everything in person. Please come home, Lucy. Meri and Garfield miss you. I miss you. A lot.

Come home.

He pressed the button to end the call and stared at the phone in his hand. Hopefully she would listen to the message and call. Soon.

Craig still hadn’t moved from the spot on the living room floor when he heard the back door open, a few minutes later. He moved quickly into the kitchen and froze when he saw her.

“You’re back.”

She was dressed in leggings and an oversized T-shirt. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun and there were bags under her eyes. He’d never seen her look more beautiful.

Lucy dropped her bag at her feet and slowly looked at him. “I’m back.”

He held out his phone. “Did you listen to…did you hear…” He trailed away, knowing there was no way she could possibly have heard his voicemail if she’d been driving and he’d just finished leaving it.

“My phone is off.”

He yearned to go to her, to tell her how he felt about her and how sorry he was for everything. Instead, he nodded dumbly. “I left you a message.”

“Okay.” She nodded and lifted her bag again. “I’m exhausted. I’m just going to?—”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. I just?—”

The rest of his words died on his lips when she turned to look at him. The pain and hurt in her eyes was so evident, he hated himself for playing any role in putting it there.

She shook her head and walked through the room, toward her bedroom.

“Lucy?”

She turned. “Look, Craig. I don’t know what you want from me right now. It’s been a long day.” She shook her head. “No. It’s been a long week. I just…I came back for Meri. It wasn’t fair to leave like that.”

Lucy readjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “And I just want you to know that I’ll stay until September. Your family isn’t going to lose everything because of me.”

Seeing him again was harder than Lucy expected. Not that she’d expected it to be easy, but she hadn’t been prepared for him to be standing right there looking so…good. And hopeful.

She felt a little bad for not staying and talking to him when he so clearly wanted her to. But she’d been so caught off guard. And what was that about a voicemail?

The moment she closed the door behind her, she flopped down on the bed to pet Garfield, who immediately joined her for snuggles.

“I missed you, too, buddy.”

The large tabby head butted her and purred in response.

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