Page 129 of Playing For Keeps
“Your life changed because of me. If I can’t make you happy?—”
“Don’t you dare say it. You make me happier than I’ve ever been. If I seem low, it’s only because I want to give you everything you deserve, and I feel like I’m letting you down.”
“Sweetness, you’re doing no such thing. I’ve never been happier in my life.”
“Is that the truth?”
“Yes. Living with you and being here is a dream come true.”
“There’s nothing you would change?”
What is she getting at?
I shake my head. “Nothing that comes to mind.”
She tilts her head and studies me. “If there was anything I could give you that would make you feel even better than you do, would you tell me?”
“Of course I would. You know that.”
“No, I don’t. Just like my old pattern showed up earlier where I wanted to run and hide, you have patterns you’re still doing.”
What are these patterns of mine?
I turn my head, trying to figure out what she’s getting at.
“You’re doing it right now, Jami.”
I raise my brows as I look her way and hold my hands out, at a loss. “What am I doing? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re looking for an escape route out of this conversation.” She points to the opening of our place.
“I am not. I only looked over there to give myself a minute to figure out what you meant.”
She runs a suspicious eye over me. “That might be true, but you’re still using other patterns to protect yourself.”
I have no idea what she’s talking about, so we stare at each other for a moment. I give up trying to figure it out and break the silence.
“Dori, why don’t you help me out because I’m not following. Just say what you mean.”
“You’re keeping things from me.” She pokes her finger into my chest. “You promised me you would communicate with me about everything.”
“I have. I do.” Reaching up, I grab her wrist so her finger isn’t digging into me. “If I’m missing something, I need you to tell me because I’m confused.”
“I’m talking about how you want a baby. Why haven’t you talked to me about how you feel?”
Yeah. She’s got me there.
I release her arm, and my shoulders fall. “Because I’m terrified if I do, you’ll tell me something I don’t want to hear.”
CHAPTER 30
DORI
Jami’s confessionis like a slap in the face. “Are you saying you don’t trust me to keep your heart safe?”
He runs his palm down his face and sighs. “No. I’m saying you already have enough on your plate. You don’t need me piling on.”
“Let me be the one to decide if I have too much to deal with. How you feel is important to me.”
