“Look at it this way. If I’m not there—” David paused for emphasis “—maybe she’ll finally give you a chance.”
“I doubt it,” Rusty said. “Since she was sixteen she’s only had eyes for you.”
David laughed. His friend always had a tendency to exaggerate. “You know that’s not true. Lauren has dated lots of guys.”
“She may have gone out to an occasional dinner or movie, but you and I both know you’re the one she’s always wanted.” Rusty shook his head. “What I can’t understand is why you didn’t marry her when you had the chance.”
“Rusty,” David said, “we’ve been through this before.”
“Yeah, and I still don’t get it. Lauren is pretty and smart and fun to be with. She wants to have a big family and be a stay-at-home mom. Face it, she’s what you’ve said you always wanted.”
“But I don’t love her.”
“So? You married what’s-her-name and you don’t love her.”
“Who says I don’t love Christy?” David shot back.
Rusty dipped his head and stared at David. “Give me a break. You hadn’t seen her in ten years. And even back then you knew she wasn’t the one.”
“I was a kid back then. I didn’t know what I wanted.”
“Yeah, right,” Rusty scoffed. “I was there. You knew exactly what you were doing.”
David understood Rusty’s skepticism. After all, he’d never told Rusty the real reason he’d broken up with Christy. Rusty didn’t know that Christy’s father had paid David a visit and let him know in no uncertain terms that his relationship with Christy was holding her back. Rusty had no idea that Lauren had confided in him that Christy was thinking of turning down her opportunity to attend an Ivy League school so she could stay near him. And Rusty didn’t have a clue that telling Christy he didn’t want to see her anymore was the hardest thing David had ever done.
Later he’d realized that their split was for the best. Her father had been right. Christy was destined to do great things. David had come to realize he could never be happy long-term with someone who had a busy career that left little time for anything else.
But he could make it a year, knowing if it ended before then, so did his taking over the family business..
“I never understood what you saw in her,” Rusty added.
“Christy has always been nice to you,” David said. “What do you have against her?”
“She’s okay,” Rusty said grudgingly. “I mean, I don’t hate her or anything. But I guess I never could see how you could prefer her to Lauren.”
“Nobody could compare to Lauren in your eyes,” David said.
“You’re right about that.” Rusty paused, and a hint of a smile played at the corners of his lips. “Lauren is…well, she’s practically perfect. Unfortunately she’s never once looked at me like she looks at you. Even now, I bet all you’d have to do is snap your fingers—”
“Rusty, I’m not snapping my fingers. I’m not giving her any encouragement.” David paused. “I’m a married man.”
“But for how long? I admit Christy is a knockout and she’s probably great in—”
“Rusty.” David growled a warning.
His friend continued without skipping a beat. “But that’s not going to be enough for you in the long run. You know it’s not.”
Of course it wasn’t going to be enough. Now was the time to tell Rusty the truth. He trusted him implicitly and knew what he said wouldn’t be repeated. But something held him back.
Instead David repeated the words he’d said so often they’d become automatic. “I love Christy and we’re very happy together.”
“Don’t give me that.” Rusty snorted. “I know you too well.”
“Believe what you want.” David met his friend’s gaze firmly.
“So, are you going to the party or not?”
“I don’t think so.”
“At least stop by and wish her happy birthday.”
David glanced at the clock. Five-forty-five.
“C’mon, David. Adolph’s is on your way home.” Rusty’s voice took on a persuasive edge. “It’ll only take five minutes. Can’t you spare that for an old friend? ’Cause I’m telling you, if you don’t show, her evening will be ruined.”
David shoved back his chair and stood. “Why do I have the feeling I’ll regret this?”
Rusty’s smile widened. “Believe me, the only thing you’re going to regret is that we didn’t get there in time for happy hour.”
David returned Rusty’s smile and hoped that this time his friend was right.
The clock chimed seven. Christy blew out the tapered candles that she’d lit in anticipation of David’s arrival. She should have snuffed them out long ago. But she’d let them burn even as her hope had flickered. She’d kept her fingers crossed that the next car she’d hear would be his pulling in the drive. But when the minutes had stretched into an hour, what little hope she’d had vanished.
She’d called his cell, but no one had answered. She’d tried his office but his number went to voice mail. Where could he be?
He promised he’d be home by six.
But then he’d also promised to love and to cherish her forever. She blinked back the tears that came so easily these days and wrapped up the veal. Though he’d told her more than once that he didn’t expect her to cook for him, she’d wanted to make tonight special.
The pineapple upside-down cake had been his favorite when he’d been eighteen. Instead of fine-tuning a presentation she’d be giving next week, she’d spent the afternoon in the kitchen making the cake from scratch and whipping up another of his favorites—twice baked potatoes.
Now just looking at the overcooked spuds turned her stomach. Without a second thought, Christy upended the pan and dumped them all in the garbage.
She returned to the table and gathered up the china and crystal, returning them to the hutch along with her best sterling silver flatware. With precise movements she folded the linen tablecloth and placed it back in the drawer.
By the time she’d changed out of her silk dress and into a pair of running pants and a T-shirt, it was seven-thirty. By the time she’d powered up her computer and reviewed her PowerPoint presentation it was eight o’clock. By the time David strolled through the front door it was almost nine.
“Anybody home?” David’s voice rang out from the foyer.
For a second Christy was tempted not to answer, but she knew that would be childish. “I’m in the den.”
His footsteps echoed on the hardwood floors. The doorknob turned. Christy lifted her chin.
David stood in the doorway for a long moment, his gaze taking in the paper-strewn desk, the open laptop and the pencil stuck behind her left ear. “Sorry I’m late.”
“You were supposed to be home by six.” She’d planned to play it cool, but her voice rose despite her best efforts to control it. “I’d have thought in twenty-eight years a smart man like you would have learned how to use a phone.”