Page 95 of The Baby-whisperer and the Brute
She’d be none too pleased at the Romeo and Juliet scene playing out on her lawn—especially after what I’d told her today. She had decided Sullivan Reece was every bit as bad as the man who’d jilted her as a young woman—maybe worse.
“Sully… you have to go—please,” I pleaded. “Before my mom freaks out.”
Sully laughed. “I’m not scared of your mom—even if she does kind of look like a wicked witch.”
“You should be. She’ll call the police. She’ll have you charged with trespassing. You don’t want an arrest record—think of the girls. Our arrangement was only ever supposed to be temporary, Sully. The summer’s over. Go home before you wind up in jail.”
Sully’s arms lifted and fell to his sides with a frustrated slap. “What areyougonna do? Stay up there in that ivory tower of yours alone forever, a perfect little martyr? I guessthat’llmake your mom happy.”
“I won’t be alone,” I said. “I’ll be with my new sisters.”
It took Sully a few seconds to put it together. “No.Don’t tell me you’re planning to go to that monastery.”
“I’m leaving tomorrow.”
It hadn’t been a hard decision to make actually. I knew I’d never want a husband and family apart from Sully and his daughters. If I couldn’t have him, I didn’t want anyone.
And though it wouldn’t match my ideal vision of the perfect family, the other nuns in my orderwouldbe a sort of family. I looked forward to beginning a new life far away from Eastport Bay—and far from temptation.
When I’d come home this afternoon, weeping and inconsolable, my mother had made the phone call, delighted to help me escape the “evils of man.” The religious order had accepted my excuse for reporting late for discernment, commending me for sacrificing myself to help a family in need over the summer.
“Think about what you’re doing, Angelina,” Sully pleaded. “Youcan’tbecome a nun. For one thing, you’re in love with a man—me. For another, you have way too much passion to bottle it up under a habit and spend your life unmarried and alone. You told me earlier today that I have options. The same goes for you. I’m giving you another one right now—stay here and marry me. Be my wife.”
A sob scrambled up my throat, and I had to suppress it to speak. “Sully, it’s too late. It’s done. This is over.”
“No,thisis crazy,” he said, the volume of his voice rising with emotion. “Can you please just come down and talk to me? I need to see your eyes when you tell me it’s over. I need to feel you in my arms when you say it’s too late.”
The sob defeated my efforts to control it. “I can’t. Please… just go home and get on with your life.”
“Youaremy life.”
He looked around, stuffed the ring back into his jacket pocket. “You know what? If you won’t come to me…”
Striding forward, he stretched one hand up and grabbed onto a gnarled vine, pulling himself onto the tower wall.
“What are you doing?” I gasped. “You’re not planning to climb all the way up here?”
“Well, I’m not gonna stop halfway, Angel,” he said, grunting with effort—and what looked like some rib pain—as he grabbed another vine and hoisted himself higher.
“You’ll hurt yourself,” I protested, filled with concern. “You’re not fully healed yet.”
Sully continued to climb. The fool really did intend to scale the tower.
“I can live with a little pain. What I can’t do… is live without you. If it’s not you, it’s gonna be no one.”
My heart melted along with my resistance. My hands came up to cover my mouth as the tears flowed.
Sullivan Reece, you absolutely devastate me.
Aloud I said, “Wait. Stop. I’ll come down.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Nothing to Hide
Sully
Angelina disappeared from the window above, and I rested, hanging onto the vines about ten feet off the ground.
