Page 51 of A Love So Sweet
“Tell me something about what you do. I know you own resorts, but what does that really mean?”
“I don’t want to bore you,” he answered. “It sounds more glamorous than it is.”
She sat up. “I would really like to understand it.”
That flicker of excitement she’d seen back at her apartment appeared in his eyes again. “Well, I don’t have a set schedule of things that I do on any given day. I have staff that take care of the resorts, and I have managers who oversee the staff, so I spend most of my time working on what comes next.”
“What comes next?”
“New acquisitions, mergers, researching areas and distributors, running business valuations. I plan, scheme, analyze, and strategize.” He leaned forward with a burst of enthusiasm. “I’ve been doing this for twelve years and I swear it never gets old. There’s always something new to think about—and then there are renovations, grand openings, social events. I have to keep a pretty heavy social calendar to maintain professional relationships. It’s a crazy, fantastic life. It’s been a dream, really, a very good dream.”
He looked at Max and must have read the worry in her eyes, because when he sat back, the excitement dissipated. “It’s been fun, and I’m set for life now. I don’t need to keep doing more. This is what I did before I found you, Max.” His voice turned serious. “You have to remember, I was filling my days with work and my nights with whatever I could that held no chance for permanence. I was running from having a future outside of work, Max, not living the most fulfilling life I could.”
He put his hand on her leg and squeezed it gently. “What I do is thrilling, and yes, I love it, but now that I’m ready toreallylive my life, now that I have you by my side, I wantmore. I want a house, permanence, and maybe even children one day. I want the dream that I’ve spent so many years running from.”
Max didn’t hear anything afterIt’s a crazy, fantastic life. It’s been a dream, really, a very good dream.She knew better than to take an aggressive, successful man and steal him out of his element for good. That would be like caging a bear. Eventually the bear would recognize the bars for what they were and tear them down—even if it meant hurting the person who had been nurturing him, tending to his needs, loving him for years.
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Chapter Twenty-Four
THE FROWN MAX was trying so hard to hide cut right through Treat. He knew his enthusiasm for his work was intimidating, but he’d promised to always be honest. He wanted to take her in his arms and promise her the world that he knew he could give her, but something told him that she also saw his own turmoil. He had no concerns about Max, but Thailand was riding his nerves. He’d worked hard for that acquisition, and truth be told, he would give up everything to be with Max, but one last foray into negotiations would be a sweet send-off. It was the three months of international travel that caused him concern. There was no way he could expect Max to pick up her life and go with him. It was an unfair request.
“I’ve been clear about what I want,” he said, holding her gaze. “What do you want, Max?”
She shrugged, tugging at his heartstrings.
“Max?” If she didn’t want all those things, then what were they doing together? Why had they revealed their souls to each other?
She looked up at him, and he asked her again, “What is it that you want with me, babe? Where do you envision this going?”
Max pulled away. “I guess maybe we’re moving a little fast.”
Her words sent a swift kick to his gut. “A littlefast? I thought you felt the same connection that I did. I thought you wanted this just as much as I do.”
“I do, but—”
“But? Max, we can move slower. I never meant to push you.”
“I’m sorry, but I overheard you on the phone talking about your Thailand deal. What if you give that up and then you resent me? Or if Inevercome to grips with my past? If I don’t, that could suck for you.”
His chest constricted. She worried so much about him. “First, I’ll never resent you. I understand your concern, but, Max, there are plenty of properties I can acquire that don’t require that type of travel. And as far as your past goes, I’m here no matter what. My only concern is that you don’t drive yourself crazy with worry because of what you’ve been through. You never had closure. I don’t want you facing that guy again, but maybe talking with a therapist would help.”
She nodded, tears in her eyes, and rested her head on his chest. “Maybe,” she said just above a whisper. “I don’t want you to give up what you love for me, especially when I still have so much to work through.”
“We’ll work through it together.”
MAX WAS EMOTIONALLY exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and erase the anxious evening that had found them. She was relieved when Treat took her hand and led her upstairs. They took a warm bath together and lay talking into the wee hours. Long after Treat fell asleep, Max’s heart still wouldn’t settle. Every time she closed her eyes she saw his gorgeous dark eyes dancing with excitement as he told her how much he loved his work. She’d also felt his genuine honesty when he’d talked about wanting to live a fuller life. Who was she to question what he really wanted?
As she lay in the confines of his loving arms, staring at a streak of moonlight streaming through the curtains, a sudden and jarring thought occurred to her. What was shereallyafraid of? She trusted Treat with her whole heart. If he told her something, she knew it was true. She thought about what he’d said about closure and wondered if he knew her better than she knew herself.
Was she really trying to save him from a lifetime of resentment, or was she running from happiness because she didn’t trust that Ryan hadn’t ruined her for life? She’d missed the signs back in college. The way he’d suddenly started drinking more, going out to bars, becoming mean, and lost interest in talking with her. She’d never miss those signs again, but she didn’t want torecognizethem in Treat years from now and know she was the cause. She had no doubt that Treat knew himself well enough to make the right decision for both of them. But did she know herself well enough to do the same?
Too restless to lie still, she stepped quietly from the bed and went to the window, gazing out at the reflection of the moon rippling on the water. She needed a guidebook to navigate her past and create a future, or a mother who could tell her therightway to handle this. Since she didn’t have either, she had to make a decision.
With her heart in her throat, she grabbed her phone and went downstairs.
She was shaking as she sank to the couch and pulled up Facebook. She loathed social media for anything other than promoting the festival. The idea of posting updates about what she did all day seemed an enormous waste of time, right up there with tweeting and getting manicures. Well, maybe a manicure now and then would be nice. With a deep breath, she typedRyan Cobain, Texas A&Minto the search bar. Within seconds several Ryan Cobains appeared. Her ex-boyfriend’s photo stared back at her, and her heart nearly stopped. She hadn’t set eyes on him in years, and she hadn’t prepared herself for the stab of hurt slicing through her. His thick brown hair was cut shorter now, and his face had thinned. If she didn’t know him, she’d think he was a handsome, happy man. But she did know him. She looked into his green eyes and saw the same fiery mess of a man she’d seen the day she left.
