Page 22 of The Wedding Driver
A tap at the door startled her and she knocked over her glass. Thank goodness it was empty and it didn’t shatter. She picked it up off the floor and set it on the counter before scurrying to the front door where she peered through the window.
Foster stood there with a pizza box and a six-pack.
She twisted the handle and let him in.
“I took a chance you might be hungry and willing to talk to me,” he said. “You’ve ignored me most of the day.”
“I’ve been busy, but I’m starving, so I’ll accept your food.” She took the beer from his hand, taking two out and sticking the rest in the fridge. She cleared her stuff off the table and pulled down two plates while her heart hammered in the center of her chest.
“I owe you an apology for my behavior yesterday.” He lifted a slice and put it on one of the plates. “And I want to explain some things.”
“I can understand not wanting to talk, but you shut down completely. Gave up altogether. That wasn’t fair.” She tore off a piece of crust and nibbled, leaning back in her chair. This had been one of those situations she wished she could talk to someone about, but she couldn’t because this was Foster’s private business. She wouldn’t do that to him. That part of his life had been incredibly painful and for her to discuss it with someone, even one of her sisters, wouldn’t be cool. “Nor is expecting me to hear you out on your terms as if I’m sitting around waiting for you.”
However, that left her stewing in a million questions.
“I shouldn’t have ambushed you this way, but I’ve been working with Doug and Jim all day right down the street and I didn’t want to let this simmer. I don’t want to ruin something just as it was getting off the ground.”
“I would have reached out eventually.”
“Well, you didn’t do anything wrong, so it shouldn’t be up to you to come to me. I want to tell you about what happened with Kathy.” He held her gaze.
“I’m listening.”
“I’m not proud of the fact I cheated on my wife. There is no excuse for what I did. I tried to justify it in my mind that we were miserable and didn’t have much of a marriage, but I was a selfish prick for what I did.”
“Putting myself in your shoes, I can understand your actions.” She held up her hand. “I don’t agree with them; however, I’m not condemning them either. I’m simply sensitive to the cheating thing because of what happened to Tiki and I wouldn’t want someone to do that to me.”
“I have a few regrets in life, and being with Kathy is one of them.” He took a long swig of his beer. His eyes glossed over. “It’s not just the guilt of having an affair because while I was in it, I only worried about Lisa. What it would do to her if what her father was doing ever came out. I honestly didn’t consider Victoria’s feelings. We hadn’t slept in the same bed in years. We had no relationship except for the fact that I took care of her and that often infuriated me. Sometimes I think I used Kathy to get back at Victoria for choosing drugs over her child.”
“Can I ask you something?” Tonya had been thinking about this all day. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to gain the courage to ask the tough questions. She cared for Foster and she wanted the chance to see if they could move past the friend zone.
No risk. No reward.
If she stayed passive in her role when it came to defining their relationship, she’d forever be lonely. And that would be true with any man she dated.
“Of course.”
“Why are you so angry with Kathy? And yourself, because I heard something in your voice that I don’t hear very often. It was this deep sense of loathing.”
He took his beer and stood, making his way to the window that overlooked the parking area.
While she had access to the waterfront, her carriage house didn’t have a view of the lake. She didn’t mind, though. Just being able to sit at the docks was enough. For now. She dreamed of someday living next to her parents, in her grandfather’s house. Although that thought hurt her soul because it meant her grandpa would no longer be with her, and also if her dream was with Foster, it wouldn’t be in that house.
She continued to eat her pizza while she patiently waited for Foster to find the words. One thing she understood about him was that he took his time when it came to important answers.
“I don’t know if I can ever get past this part.” He turned, leaning against the wall between the sofa and the front door. “I was with Kathy when I got the call my house was on fire.”
Tonya dropped her slice of pizza in her lap. She covered her mouth and gasped. So many things about Foster made sense with that one sentence.
He swiped at his eyes before pushing off the wall and strolling across the room. Setting his beer down, he lifted the slice off her lap and began cleaning off the saucy, cheesy mess.
She was too stunned to move, much less say anything.
Taking her hands, he lifted his gaze. “I don’t think I have to tell you why I still struggle with my actions the night Lisa died. I left my beautiful little girl with a drug addict so I could go be with another woman. What kind of man—father—does that make me?”
She palmed his cheek. “A human one.”
He kissed the back of her hand. “That’s kind of you, but based on your reaction yesterday, and even a few seconds ago, you think I’m a snake.”
