Romantic Promises (Alluring Promises Series, #2) (52 page)

He turned back around and continued to walk towards the hospital as I stood there, knowing he was right. I just wasn’t sure how to try to fix everything.

******

It had been over a week since the ordeal at the hospital. I spoke with Izzy on the phone to find out about Matt and Z
’s dad. I was relieved that he was recovering very well.

I returned to work and hadn’t seen Matt at all. Through email he informed me he was using his personal time. It wasn’t a text like we’ve always done. It was formal and addressed to Human Resources for his file and he copied Payroll to make sure they knew to use his sick days.
Professional
.

Friday finally came. It was the longest and most lonely week I’ve ever had. I missed Matt. I missed everything about him. I walked around like a zombie, unsure of what to do next. We had been together almost every single night since we started our “relationship.” Well, except for the Wednesday night “date nights” with Charles. My stomach churned just thinking about how I lied to Matt like that. I cried myself to sleep every night knowing that I was to blame for all of this.

For living right across from each other, I found it really strange that we never ran into each other. I stood outside his door so many times wanting to knock or just hoping he would open his door to go somewhere so I would run into him by accident.

Aubrey didn’t help matters. Every day she asked if today was the day I’d speak with my parents and then finally go back to Matt. The problem was, I wasn’t sure Matt would want to be with me even after I finally did tell my parents.

Actually, I was pretty sure our relationship was over when I was called into Perry’s office that Friday morning. I was almost positive that Matt requested to move back to Atlanta and probably already made arrangements. When Perry asked me to draw up a transfer request for when he gives him his final choice, even though his year wasn’t up yet, my stomach dropped. They wanted him to stay as VP of Sales, but Perry insisted that he wouldn’t go back on his word. Perry wanted to make sure Matt’s old territory was ready for him to return to, if that was his choice.

My heart was in my throat as I listened to Perry tell me all this. I kept my head down and took notes, pushing
away the tears that kept threatening.

After leaving Perry’s office, I headed straight for the bathroom and into a stall. Putting my arms up against the wall and my head down, tears spilled from my eyes as I released all the pain I was feeling. I knew it was up to me to fix things. I needed to speak with my parents, as Matt told me. But the truth was I was still too scared to tell them about Charles.

I wondered if Charles had already spoken with his parents. Surely, it would have gotten back to my parents by now. If that were the case, my mother would have called or hunted me down by now.

Wiping my tears and trying to gather myself I knew what I had to do. I realized I may have waited too long to tell my parents. I should tell them, if anything, just to advise them there wouldn’t be a wedding to plan. Visions of my mom yelling, screaming and carrying on, telling me what a disappointment I was, churned my stomach. Panic gripped me and I tried to catch my breath, but wound up working myself into such hysteria that it made me sick. I was thankful I was in the right place.

Again, I slumped against the wall of the bathroom stall, crossing my arms over my chest as I realized how right Matt was. I needed to finally own up and live my own life. I needed to tell my parents once and for all that it was my life to live. The thought didn’t settle my stomach, but hoping that Matt might take me back helped ease my worry unless it was already too late.

Thoughts of my future seemed dismal at this point except for my career. Matt had become such a huge part of my life and the thought of going through my days without him was heartbreaking.

Aside from our spats before our relationship started, we really did get along. I felt like he complimented me perfectly. There was that word again, but with Matt, it seemed fitting. His fun, easy going mannerisms made my heart quicken just thinking about him. That’s it, I thought to myself. I was going to speak with my parents and then hope Matt would take me back.

He may not take me back, but at that moment I felt like I had to give it one last try. I was finally free from Charles and after I tell my parents I would be completely able to tell Matt how I really felt about him.

I couldn’t wait to tell him that I really do love him. Since the night he told me I wanted to say those words back to him so badly. I smiled just thinking about how much I really love Matt.

I nodded my head, took a deep breath and opened the stall door. I walked out to the sinks, gazing at my reflection in the mirror. I wiped my mascara with the tissue when I heard Kara’s voice from behind me.

“I think he’s in love with you.” I spun around to see her eyes flick up and down my body before she continued, “I don’t know why, but he does.” She paused a moment, “You know, he’s slept with a lot of women. A lot.”

I flinched and shouldn’t have. I couldn’t help but swallow and try to make sure the lump that was forming in my throat stayed down. She gave me a bitchy look as she continued, “Don’t like the idea of how many women he’s had? He’s had a lot.” She crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall.

Why did I continue to stand here fighting to keep the tears at bay, waiting for her explanation? Self-loathing probably. Maybe I like to hear such horrible things to just let it break me; just as I had finally made decisions about my life too. Figures.

“Vanessa, you can’t tell me that when you’re out with him that you don’t see the women that fall for him constantly. Even when you’re just out for lunch?”

I straightened my posture and tried to keep the tears back. “We’re just friends now. I realize he’s just a player.”

Kara smirked and looked toward the ground and then back to my eyes. “Matty? Yeah, he is, but Matty is also the type of guy that will fall hard for a girl. For the right one.”

I felt sick to my stomach wondering if Matt would now go back to Kara. Or maybe he already had and I was too stupid to know. I pulled my chin up, needing to know her purpose for keeping me in here. “Are you thinking you’re that one?” I asked, but hoped she wouldn’t answer me.

Kara gave a pressed smile and then shook her head. “Me? No, I’m not the one for Matty.” Her eyes scanned the floor. I tried not to look her in the eyes, but when I glanced she seemed to be tearing up. She swallowed and pasted a fake smile on. “You might be though.”

I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face for hearing her say that. My stomach flipped and my heart skipped a beat thinking that she might know him better than I do and think this. “Me? No, I think I aggravate him way too much,” I tried to joke, giving a fake laugh.

“No, you’re more of a challenge. I think he likes that.”

“So you’re telling me that once the challenge is done, he won’t want anything more?”

“No, you’re still not getting it. Once the challenge is done, you’ll have already won his heart. You just need to make sure you want it too. You break his heart and I’ll really hate you. Right now I’m just jealous of you,” she pushed herself off the wall and started to walk past me.

“Jealous?”

Kara rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms, annoyed that I questioned her. She walked over to the bathroom door and pulled at the handle. She gave me one last glance and then added, “Don’t you dare fuck this up.”

Little did she know, I already had.

******

Standing in my Dad’s office looking at all the awards, books and pictures in his bookcase brought back memories from when I was a little girl. Oddly enough, I was feeling like that little girl as I stood in his office now. I noticed a picture of a girl I barely recognized. She was chubby and hugging my dad. She looked so happy hugging him, but there was also something sad about her eyes. My dad’s eyes were full of love for that girl. For some odd reason, I didn’t realized that I was that little girl until I stared at it longer.

“Dad, what is this?” I asked as I picked up the framed photo.

“That’s my favorite picture of us, baby girl,” Dad said as he barely looked up from one of his patient charts.

“Your favorite picture?” I questioned him. It made no sense to me. I hated those years. I hated how I felt, how I was tormented. I hated how Mom treated me like a “project.”

“Yes,” Dad responded as he put his pen down and removed his glasses.

I was still stunned that out of all our professional photos, this was the one that is his favorite. “But I was fat,” I blurted out.

“That never mattered to me. It may have mattered to your mom, but not me. You always make me happy, baby girl. I’m so proud of you for choosing the career you wanted. And now marrying Charles, well, that makes your mom happy. Best of both worlds.”

“About that Dad.” I swallowed as I got up the nerve to tell him the truth. “Umm.” A pit formed in my stomach as I thought about how to tell him. I walked over and sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “I…Charles and I have decided not to get married. I’m…I’m so sorry.”

He furrowed his brows as he looked at me concerned. “Are you okay with that? Did he break up with you?” His questions rushed out.

“No…no Daddy. I…it was me.” I felt my lips tremble as I finally admitted to him, “I don’t want to be married to him.” I sat there staring at him with tears welling as I waited for him to say something. I watched his eyes search the room and then quickly dart to mine.

He nodded. “Okay.”

Surprised, I wiped my eyes quickly with my fingertips. “Okay? That’s it?” Out of all the things I had to tell him I thought this one would crush him. When I told him I was attending a different college than he wanted me to go to, he yelled at me. Telling him that my grades weren’t good enough to get into the college he preferred really set him off. This, of all things, I thought for sure would garner some other reaction than his simple “okay.”

“Well, are you really upset about the breakup?” He asked with a simple shrug to his shoulders.

“No, I’m actually thrilled. I mean. I’m not thrilled, but it just wasn’t working out between us,” I explained to him, feeling so much weight being lifted off my shoulders.

He nodded and gave me a small smile. “Then if you’re fine with it, that’s all that matters.”

I let out a huge breath and smiled as he looked back down to his paperwork. I sat there for a moment as I started to think about telling mom. “Dad?” I asked as I watched him look back up at me. I bit my lip trying to gauge his reaction to my next question. “How do I tell mom?”

He sat back in his chair and put his hands clasped behind his neck as he gazed out the window thoughtfully. “That one is going to be tough. She’s had her mind on it for so long, I don’t know what she’ll do.” His gaze returned to mine.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked him. He’s always thought so highly of Charles. I know he wanted Charles to be part of his practice, I wasn’t sure what else to think.

“I…” He smiled as he leaned forward. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” He glanced down at his paperwork and then looked back to me thoughtfully, “Would you be upset if he eventually joins the practice?”

Relieved that he wasn’t going to think any less of Charles I sighed, “No, it’s what you both have wanted for so long.”

He gave me a soft smile. “It is. Thank you, I’m glad you’re okay with it. I need to really focus on research and you know I haven’t been able to. Having Charles here will be a huge help when he’s ready. And I’ve watched his work for so long, I know he’s a great fit. But if that bothers you, baby, I’ll start the search for someone else.”

I smiled at his thoughtfulness. “No daddy. I want you to be able to do what you want to do.” He nodded.

I sat there even though I knew he was basically dismissing me since our conversation was really over. He looked up again. “Is there something else?”

“I don’t know how to tell Mom.” I tried to control my bottom lip from quivering, so I bit down as I waited for his answer.

He shrugged. “You just tell her. She’ll have to get over it.”

“Just like that?” I almost laughed that he was making it seem so easy.

“Just like that. She’s a grown woman. I’ll just stay away from her while she wallows,” he joked. “What else is there? Are you bothered by something else.”

“Matt,” I blurted out.

“Who’s Matt?” Dad’s head tilted as he asked me.

I looked out the window as I
blinked back a tear. “I was sort of dating Matt Williams. You and Charles operated on his father.”

I looked back to him in time to see recognition spark his eyes. “Ah, I remember seeing that shocked look in his eyes when I mentioned Charles. Did he not know about your engagement with Charles?”

“Not really. I was waiting to completely break it off with Charles after I told you and Mom. Well, really Mom.”

“Oh wow. Sounds like you’ve got some apologizing to do to that young man, huh?” I nodded as he pressed his lips together. “Then why are you still here in my office?”

“Because I need to tell Mom and that terrifies me,” I admitted to him.

“She’s just a person who wanted the best for her little girl. She may go about it in an entirely selfish and distorted way, but she puts her clothes on the same way we do. And.” I stood up as he walked over to me. He put his hands on
my shoulders. “No matter what she says or how angry she gets, she still loves you. In a different type of way.” He looked at his watch. “Come on. I’m meeting her at the club for lunch. You can tell her there.”