Page 50 of A Family Affair: The Ring
If it were going to happen with us, it would have.Don’t you see that?
She’s out of the picture.Desperation clung to her words, smeared her expression.That’s why you could never commit to me or our future.She was always there but not anymore…
It doesn’t matter.It’s not going to happen with us, and I want you to accept that.I want you to move on.He’d squeezed her hand, forced a smile.You deserve better.Find a guy who’s right for you, because I’m not him.
There’d been a few more pleas, several tears, and finally, resignation.You really aren’t going to give us a chance… Ever?Are you?
No, I’m sorry.That conversation might as well have been written up in theMagdalena Pressbecause Delaney made sure she told her friends and coworkers…her family, who in turn spilled the story with a retelling that included Delaney telling Will she deserved better and refused his pleas for another chance.
It didn’t matter what anyone else thought.Will knew what he’d said, even if Delaney didn’t want to accept it.
Will hadn’t sleptin three days.How could he sleep when the whole scene played through his head over and over right up to the point where Melanie had turned and walked away—out of his life.There’d been no need to say they were over because it was all there in the spaces between the words, the looks she gave him, filled with disbelief and disappointment.And then she’d walked back into the house where Alec the doctor ex-boyfriend waited for her—no doubt ready with sympathy, open arms and a pledge to never hurt her.
If Will had it to do over again—and he’d wished for that too many times—what would he have done differently?First, he wouldn’t have let jealousy devour him, and he would have tried hard not to draw conclusions or make assumptions.He’d never done that in his business life, but he’d certainly permitted both to rule his personal life—especially where Melanie Russell was concerned.Will pinched the bridge of his nose, tried to focus on the spreadsheet in front of him and managed to funnel his attention on the columns in front of him.When the door to his office opened, he didn’t realize someone had entered until the man spoke.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”Cash Casherdon reached his desk in four strides, a “ticked off” expression plastering his face.
“I’m busy.”
The guy didn’t care about boundaries or intruding or anything that didn’t have to do with whomever he was trying to protect.“Too bad.Get un-busy.”He scowled, crossed his arms over his chest, stared.“I’m starting to think she’s way too good for you.”
Will tossed his pencil on the desk, dragged a hand over his face.He was so not in the mood for Cash’s sarcasm.“You think the doctor ex is a better choice?”
Cash muttered a curse under his breath, blew out a loud sigh.“Hell yes, I do, but that’s not really the point, is it?For some ridiculous and unbelievable reason, Melanie wants you.Of course, I wanted to talk her out of the foolishness, but Tess said I had to mind my own business because apparently, I’ve been a fool a time or two.”Those whiskey-colored eyes burned him.“At least I came around and woke up before I lost the best thing that ever happened to me.But you?”A laugh, a shake of his head.“You just love to create catastrophes and blow up everything when things could be good.”
The guy didn’t know what he was talking about, and he definitely hadn’t heard the whole story.Well, fine, Will would enlighten him and then see what he thought.“Did she tell you the ex stayed overnight—at her house—no doubt a wall away from her bed?Did she tell youthat?”
“She did.I let her know that wasn’t her best move, especially when she’s trying to show you how much you can trust her.Can’t fault the guy for not giving up on her though.That takes guts.”
“Would you still say that if you found Tess in that situation or would you throw a punch and then boot him out?”Cash might be a husband and a father, but the man still had enough “wildcat” in him to use his fists first, ask questions later.
“You’re right, I’d be more inclined to throw a left hook first, maybe follow it up with a right.But I’ve got a temper; you’re supposed to be the steady one, aren’t you?”Laughter snaked across the desk, squeezed Will’s chest.“The accountant.Right, maybe I should rethink having you do my taxes since your logic is about as sensible as a two-year-old’s.”
“No problem, let me know what you want me to do.”
“I want you to stop being a jerk and figure a way out of this mess.”Cash took a step closer, leaned forward, splayed his hands on top of the desk.“You’re only going to get so many shots.I don’t care who started it, or what should or shouldn’t have happened, or how she should have known better.I thought you two belonged together.I thought you were heading toward a future.The whole marriage, baby, dog and a car seat or two.But maybe you’re not, because maybe you just like to be miserable.I know all about that, trust me.”
“Is there a point to this lecture?”
Cash straightened, cut him a look that said Will might be on the receiving end of a left hook if he didn’t straighten up.“Yeah, there’s a point.It’s pretty simple.Get your act together and make it right with Melanie.”
He turned and headed for the door, had his hand on the knob when Will spoke.“What if it’s too late?”
Cash swung around, spat out, “If it were too late, she would have left with the doctor.That doesn’t mean he’s out of the picture.This doctor isn’t giving up.”He pointed a finger at Will.“He told her he set you up to see how committed you were…how willing you were to fight for the relationship…to see how much you loved her.And guess what?You failed.”A frown, a big sigh.“Does that mean you don’t care or aren’t committed or any of that other BS the guy said?No, it means you’re too damn scared to be honest with yourselfandwith her.She owns your friggin’ oxygen and she can hurt you and you don’t like it.Well, guess what, buddy?That’s love and that’s life.Figure it out or you’re going to lose her and this time, you won’t get her back.”
29
Will was deep in the review of a depreciation schedule when his secretary poked her head in his office and made her way toward him.He’d seen that same expression on her face the time she scheduled Mr.Hensley’s first wife at the same time as wife number two.Not good.“What’s wrong, Janice?”If this were another mess-up, he’d have to talk to her about paying attention to firstandlast names.But when she spoke, the concern wasn’t about a mess-up she’d made—it was about him.
“You have a phone call, Will.The man said he needs to talk to you.”
Will held in the sigh, told himself Janice was doing her best.“And?Did the man have a name?”
She fanned herself, spoke in an almost whisper.“It’s your father.”
Will had spent years hiding his emotions, practicing facial expressions, tone, body language.But he hadn’t been prepared for this phone call.He gripped his pencil, blew out a soft breath.“Did he say what he wanted?”
The headshake came first, followed by “Only that he needed to speak with you, and that it was urgent.”
