Page 71 of V is for Valentine
“Valentine’s Day. Yes. I don’t avoid acknowledging the day because I’m hurt. I avoid it because it makes me really, really mad to be reminded of how stupid I was.” The grit in her tone made it clear that she was still angry at herself.
“Love does that.”
“Makes you mad?”
“Stupid,” he said.
A long silence followed, and then Danny gave into temptation and slid across the concrete floor, pulling his fingers free of her hand, and then putting his arm around her, gathering her against his side.
He felt her inhale as she laid her head against his shoulder. “I’m angry at leaving behind thousands of dollars in my unvested 401(k), but I’m really angry at convincing myself that a lie was true. Yes, I needed to cut loose a little, but I gave up everything and followed a man to a new city. I loved the job I left. Thrived in it. I still miss it.”
Danny closed his eyes and tightened his grip on her shoulder.
“I didn’t realize he was manipulating me,” she continued. “Bending me to his will. But I did know that I was abandoning the well-thought-out, sensible life plan I’d devised after grad school.” She eased her head away from his shoulder to study his face. “So if I seem a bit rigid about my life, it’s because I am.”
She was making herself pay a penance.
Before he could answer, she took his face in her hands and kissed him, long and deep. It was more of an apology than a promise, but toward the end the glimmer of hope started to shine through. She must have felt it, because she abruptly ended the kiss and settled her head against his shoulder again.
He tightened his arm. He’d take what he could get.
*
Confession was goodfor the soul and kissing Danny was a dangerous enterprise.
She shouldn’t have combined the two. It was messing with her…rigidity. She sighed. “I need to stop doing that.”
“Totally,” he agreed with mock sternness, pulling her a little closer.
She adjusted her position so that her head rested more comfortably against his shoulder.
“What happens in the furnace room stays in the furnace room,” she said softly, willing him to play along.
“I’m glad you missed your date with Cade.”
“It probably hasn’t started yet.” She inhaled, pulling his scent into her lungs. She needed to appreciate this moment, burn it into her brain. “I’ll call and apologize.”
“That would be the thing to do. You shouldn’t go in person.”
She smiled. “I’ll advise him to get his financial advice elsewhere.”
Danny’s fingers moved over her shoulder, down her arm and up again.
“What about your client meeting?” she asked.
“Sandra will handle it. It’s another potential lessee, but we’re more interested in landing Fork Horn.”
“You like this property stuff, don’t you?”
“I think I’ve found my niche.”
“What about your computer repair business?”
“I started it for something to do but never really loved it. Clara, my associate, totally nerds out over it, so I’m going to sell to her. She’s already looking for financing.”
“And then…?”
“Sandra and I will start a real estate company. Procurements. Rentals. Leases.”
