The Lover’s Secret (No Exceptions #1)(11)
Author: J.C. Reed

I wouldn’t choke and squeal. I wouldn’t cry and certainly not scream. Nor would I grin like a fool.

Oh my God, how wonderful would it be if he proposed?

I squealed inwardly at the mere thought, but it was true. In every way, Jett was perfect. He was like the shore kissing the ocean, like facing the setting sun. I was blinded by him and taken in by his glory.

Asking for my hand in marriage would be a dream come true. It would be an assurance that I’d always be the only woman in his life. Because, whether I wanted it or not, Jett was the man for me.

As we sat down, my heart gave a little shudder, and I brushed my hair back in the hopes of accentuating my features. If Jett was about to propose, where was he hiding the ring? I eyed the dark chocolate mousse, decorated with roasted nuts, and hoped he hadn’t chosen to hide it inside the dessert; I didn’t want to do anything stupid like choking on a bite or a diamond. There was nothing particularly attractive about the Heimlich maneuver or about turning pale and blue while scaring your lover to death during what was supposed to be a special moment.

“I thought we could have some romantic dessert,” Jett said, jerking me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to meet his clouded gaze. His expression was serious, his eyes were misty, his mind elsewhere.

And then his phone rang, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Don’t you want to pick that up?” I asked.

He looked at the caller ID, then quickly stuffed the phone back in his pocket.

“It can wait.” His tone darkened, mirroring the suddenly cold glint in his eyes.

Wow.

It had to be important, and he didn’t want to ruin or cut short our weekend together. Otherwise, why would he have brushed it off so briskly? I eyed him closely and couldn’t help thinking how complicated sometimes men were, changing from one extreme to another. I wanted to press the issue, since his mood seemed to have taken a complete nosedive into gloominess, but he cut me off before I could bring it up.

“Let’s eat,” Jett said coldly.

I peered at the dessert and took a bite. In spite of the rich chocolate color and hefty price tag, which probably gave away the hotel’s quality when it came to food, the mousse stuck to the back of my throat, and I could barely swallow it. It was hardly how I would have imagined a marriage proposal to go.

That’s because it isn’t one, Stewart! my inner cynic cried, causing my heart to sink in my chest.

No proposal, then. I tried to stifle a disappointed sigh…without much success.

“I’m glad I didn’t let you go when you broke up with me the first time,” Jett said, completely oblivious to my dismay.

“What makes you say that?” I asked and frowned, thinking back to the first time we met. We had fought; we had loved, and then came the betrayal that eventually brought us back together and made us stronger than before.

“I was just thinking about the circumstances that led to our breakup.” He looked back at me with an intensity that rendered me speechless. “When you walked away the first time, I thought about you every minute of the day, wishing I could turn back time and meet you under different circumstances.” He paused slightly, as though to choose his words carefully. “It made me realize how sorry I was for hurting you, and how differently I should have and could have handled that situation.”

I remembered that day too well, because it was the first time someone broke my heart. Back then, after dating him for three weeks, I found out I had inherited a multi-million dollar estate in Italy, and Jett had targeted me because he wanted that property. Eventually, I allowed him to explain his motives, and I even forgave him for not being honest with me right from the beginning. Even though opening up to him and letting him back into my heart had been hard, I had been willing to give him a second chance.

So far, I hadn’t regretted that decision, but I’d have been lying to myself if I claimed I had forgotten all about it or the feelings of betrayal it caused me. Or the realization of just how embarrassingly gullible I once was. It would have been all too easy for things to turn out differently; for instance, he could have easily used me for his own selfish motives rather than to save his father’s company, Mayfield Realties.

“It happened a long time ago.” I looked away so he wouldn’t see the hurt in my eyes. Truth was, yes, it all happened a long time ago, but while time could heal all wounds, this one had gone a little deeper than the rest.

“Yes, but…” Jett took a deep breath, taking his time to finish his thought.

I couldn’t help but wonder why he’d risk bringing up such a heavy topic after having such a good time, but I remained quiet as I waited for him to continue.

“You slipped away, Brooke, and I realized that even the darkest moments in my life before you entered it were nothing compared to not knowing whether I’d see you again.” He looked up and something passed over his features; it was the same ominous glint I had seen before, like dark clouds gathering before a thunderstorm.

“We broke up, we made up, and now you have me again.” Keeping my tone light, I shrugged. I didn’t want to think of that topic or that time. The mere mention of our breakup and the consequent prospect of an empty future—a future without him—had rendered me hopeless. Just thinking about it made me sad, and this wasn’t the time nor the place for sadness. “You explained your motives, and I chose to believe you.”

“I know. It’s just…well, I wish it never happened,” Jett said softly. “But at least it made me realize you’re the risk I’ll always take.”

I frowned. For some reason, the statement—the odd combination of words—annoyed me. It wasn’t just the prospect of him taking risks for me; it was the way he said it.

Big words.

Yeah, that was the problem. Big words too easily spoken. So easy it was hard to believe them. Words weren’t always easy to prove, and I certainly would never expect him to. While I had no doubt that he meant his statement, I didn’t want to hear it. I knew Jett would stand by me, no matter what. After all, he had saved my life when I was in trouble, even though he could just as well have turned his back on me.

But talking about the risks he’d take for me?

It was like an invitation not to live up to expectations. It was like an invitation to hurt me all over again. One thing my past had taught me was that big words equaled false promises, resulting in disappointment, and I had more than enough of that already.