Page 87 of Bargain with the Bachelor
“The company’s fine. In fact, I’m thinking of taking a step back, slowing down and letting the other guys handle more of the responsibility.”
She smiled sadly. “You say that, but you won’t. You’ll never slow down or step back.”
“How doyouknow?”
“I know because I’ve been living with you the past few weeks. It’s not just your job. It’s who youare. The big deals, the money—it’s where you get your sense of self-worth. I’m different. I can do anything for a living, really, and be happy as long as it pays the bills. And it’s time.”
Though she stood right in front of me, I felt Kristal slipping away. I gripped her arms as my heart thrashed in my chest like an escapee trying to avoid going back to prison.
It had been over twenty years since I’d lost my mother, but I was right back in that hospital room, clinging to her fragile body, begging her not to leave me, begging her not to go.
Ihatedthis feeling, this weakness in myself, but I couldnotlet Kristal move away without taking my best shot at keeping her.
Speaking rapid-fire, I began throwing out arguments one by one, hoping one of them would stick and convince her.
“You don’t need that job. You don’thaveto work for a living. I’ll pay the bills. I’ll take care of you—anything you need, I’ll buy it. I was planning to buy your parents’ old house from the bank. If you don’t want that one, pick another. If you don’t like any of the houses on the market right now, I’ll build you a new one. Pick any car you want—or several if you can’t decide. You can go back to your old life, the one Margot stole from you. You can work at the art guild, throw big society parties. We’ll join Kingsley Beach, that ridiculously overpriced beach club that all the Eastport Bay snooty toots like for some reason. I’ll give you anything you want. I’d do anything for you. I love you, Kristal. I always have.”
Out of breath, shaking, and having left it all on the table, I waited, watching Kristal’s expression move through an array of emotions before she responded.
She reached for my hand, slipping her small, cool one inside it.
“I love you too.”
My heart soared but then plummeted mid-flight when I spotted the tears in her eyes. They weren’t the happy kind.
I took both her hands in mine. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Hunter…” She swallowed hard. “I still have to go.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
One Last Chance
Kristal
Hunter’s face contorted in a mask of confusion and hurt.
“What? Why? Why do you have to go? I don’t understand.”
“I know you don’t. I’ll try to explain. Your offerisvery tempting.”
I faltered, swallowing hard again. “Too tempting, because Idolove you. I do want to be with you. But it doesn’t matter what kind of house I live in or what you could buy for me or give to me. I’d never be happy with just material things. I want real closeness. I want to build alifewith someone.”
“That’s what I’m offering.” Hunter’s tone was scarred, sullen. “In case I didn’t make myself clear, I want you to marry me.”
If the situation hadn’t been so sad, I might have been amused at the angry, unromantic nature of his proposal.
Still, my heart ached with longing at those words. Being his wife, being able to see him every day, have his children, grow old with him here in Eastport Bay—the temptation was almost too much to bear.
Couldhe really change?
Would he ever be the sort of man who could truly relax and enjoy what he’d achieved and acquired?
Or would he always be striving for more? He’d invented an entire TV show to get my attention for goodness sake. Would he ever trust that he was enough—had always been enough?
Would he ever open up and let me see the real him, flaws and all?
I wanted to believe he could more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life.
