Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 413

PAT

We pulled apart at the sound of his voice, and I turned to find Kingsley standing a few steps away, doing a poor job of hiding the anxiety on his face. Celeste did not spare him a single word. She turned on her heel and walked toward the entrance of Helix, and I followed, but she stopped before we reached the door.

"He's not here for me, Pat." She said it quietly, without turning around. "He's here for you. Go and speak with him. Know where you both stand."

"I'm worried about you, Celeste."

Her face softened. "I'm fine. Go."

She went inside, and I stood there a moment, watching the door swing shut behind her. Then I sighed and turned to face the man waiting.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

"Go ahead. Say what you want."

"Not here." He nodded toward his car. "Please, Pat. Come with me."

I stared at him for a long moment. Then I sighed and walked over, and he opened the passenger door and waited. I hesitated, but I got in, and he closed the door gently before going around to the driver's seat. We pulled away from Helix without another word.

All through the drive his gaze stayed fixed on the road, like a man carrying a hundred thoughts at once. I kept turning to look at him, and I hated myself for it, because even from the side, with his jaw tight and his brow furrowed, he was still the most handsome man I had ever seen. My eyes kept finding him no matter how many times I told them to stop.

His car finally stopped in front of a high-end restaurant.

"Why are we here?"

"Because it's my fault you didn't get to eat earlier, and I know you're hungry."

I wanted to tell him I was not hungry, but the words died in my throat. I was starving, and now I had more than myself to feed. I had to eat for two.

"And I want to apologize for what happened earlier with Sharon, too."

I scoffed. "Are you aware that your precious fiancée came all the way to Helix to threaten and warn me?"

He blinked, and the shock on his face looked genuine. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Do you love her?"

He was quiet for a long while.

"Even if you try to deny it now, I already saw it." My voice came out steady. "Nothing else mattered the moment she hugged you, the moment she stood in front of you. Words may lie, but the eyes don't. And your eyes showed how much she still meant to you."

He shook his head. "It's not what you think. Sharon and I started out as college sweethearts. I knew her all through high school, but we were just friends then. When I got to college, we grew closer, and we fell head over heels in love. At least, that was what I believed. I was convinced she was the one. For years. I supported her modeling career. I was there for her. I did so much for her and her family.