Page 77 of The Wedding Planner's Manny
But he just went on talking. “I set my sights on this omega the moment he set foot into this town last year. Sorry, man, we've been going at it like rabbits for months.”
Ethan's words weren't even true, but I loved watching the color on Jeremiah's face change. For a second there he looked like he was about to transform into the incredible hulk. He was so pissed, but I wasn't scared of him now. Because I had Ethan by my side and I knew, instinctively, that I was safe with him.
“You know what?” Jeremiah lost his temper, the way he always did when things weren’t going his way. “You can have that omega. He's not worth a damn thing, anyway. Never was. I should have known when he wasn't receptive to my seed. It was a sign from God that I deserved something better.”
Spittle flew out of his mouth as he ranted. I didn't care, though, because he got a pen out of his briefcase and finally,finally, signed those darn divorce papers.
I almost wished I could capture the moment on camera and replay it over and over again.
The moment I gained my freedom.
I couldn't even speak I was so overwhelmed with relief. I was pretty sure I was about to cry, and I couldn't even blame the pregnancy hormones this time. I pressed my lips together, though, and kept quiet as Jeremiah shoved Ethan's chest with the papers and stomped out of the café.
Just like that, he was gone.
Ethan dropped into the chair he'd deserted. “Are you okay?” he asked, leaning over. “Why didn't you tell me the meeting was today? I had no idea.”
“I didn't want to bother you now that your...”
“Now that what?” Ethan reached across the table, over my article, and laid his large hand over my own. “Do you have any idea how worried I was when I walked in here to see you talking to that douchebag?”
“You don't have to worry about me.” I felt like I should probably draw my hand back, but I didn't want to. Although the impending crisis had been averted, I was still rattled by the events of the day and Ethan's touch helped me calm down. It made me feel like everything was going to be fine somehow.
It made me feel like I was stillhis—which was what I desperately wanted to be.
“Don't be ridiculous,” Ethan said, brows furrowing in irritation. “Of course I worry about you. I love you.”
“You do?” I looked up to meet his eyes. He held my gaze easily.
“Yeah, I do. That shouldn't be a surprise to you. It's not like I haven't told you before. So I really don't know why you felt the need to do this by yourself. Or did he ambush you somehow?”
“No, he didn't ambush me, I just... I was at your house this morning.”
“I know. Caleb told me. That's why I tried to track you down when you wouldn't answer your phone.”
My phone? Oh. Now that I thought about it, I hadn't even taken it. I'd been in too much of a stupor all day to think of things like my phone.
“It's a good thing you told your brother in law where you were headed,” Ethan continued, “even if you didn't tell him what for...”
“I'm glad you found me.”
“Yeah, me too.” Ethan interlocked our fingers. “You spoke to Laura this morning, didn't you? That's why you're acting all weird.”
“She was really nice, and she said all these things... like how you don't need a manny anymore since she's back now.”
Sparks of anger flickered in Ethan's eyes, but I knew they weren't directed at me. “You can't listen to a thing Laura says, okay? She was trying to drive a wedge between us because she thinks it'll get me to take her back.”
“But you won't?”
He shook his head. “I know you have a hard time sometimes telling when people are being honest or not, but can you please believe me when I tell you now that I won't let anything come between us?
Especiallynot Laura. I could never get back together with her. She's hurt me and the children too much.”
“But what about your family? What about your business?” I wanted so badly to just believe Ethan's words, but after the day I'd had, I needed to be absolutely sure he wasn't doing something he would regret later.
“My family is going to be fine. Believe me, letting Laura back into the house wouldnotmake the children's lives easier. Our house wasn't a home for a long time, not until you came around. You're the best thing that's happened to my children over the past year and probably the best thing that'severhappened to me. That's why I don't care if I lose a few clients over you. On my list of priorities, you rank way higher than my business.”
My mouth fell open, but no words came out. I didn't know how to respond. How did you respond to something like that?
