A Model Romance (True Love Book 3) (26 page)

But as soon as those words leave my mouth, I feel a wave of dread washes over me. He’s just walked in the front door, and is making a beeline for me. Holy crap. Melanie looks like she’s swallowed a bug, but she steps in and tries to diffuse the situation.

“Justin! It’s great to see you! Brian and the guys are outside if you’d like to join them. Can I get you something to drink? The bar is stocked, and the cooler is over there. How’ve you been?”

She doesn’t stop running her mouth for a minute. He’s been ambushed, and doesn’t know how to react. He looks at me, and I pretend that I didn’t see him. She shoves him out the back door, and he is handed a beer before he can realize what happened.

“OK, now if I can do that for the next couple of hours, everything will be fine!” she says with a huff, as she wipes nervous perspiration off her forehead.

I look through the kitchen window and see Wick talking to Jason and a couple of coaches, while Justin talks to Brian and a couple of guys I don’t know. They’re only a few inches away from each other. I just hope it gets busy enough that they don’t have a chance to chat.

About an hour later, the place is buzzing, and there are kids everywhere. Melanie set out a small buffet just for them, and after they eat she shoos them inside to watch a movie upstairs on the large TV. Now it’s just the adults outside. I’ve been helping her, so I’ve managed to stay busy and out of Justin’s sight. Everyone takes their plates full of food to sit at the tables she arranged on the lawn. Wick makes it over to me; I haven’t even spoken to him since we walked in the door.

“Hi, love, where’ve you been hiding?” he asks, as he gives me a quick peck on the cheek, and pulls me into his side.

“I’ve been helping Mel. I’m sorry. How are the guys?”

“Guy are guys. You’re much more interesting to be around. Let’s go eat, I’m starved,” he says innocently, but the look in his eyes is intense. He’s hungry for me, and I feel it.

We make our plates, and sit together at the table closest to the house where Katie and Jason are seated. Katie talks about the women’s shelter, and all the work she and Mel have been doing over the summer. Wick is intrigued, and offers suggestions about how he can help get the fire department closest to the center to help. The two of them are deep in conversation, and are throwing ideas around like darts. Jason and I smile at each other; we’re enjoying watching them plan to save the world.

That’s when I feel someone sit down right next to me.

Shit. Shit. And triple shit.

“Hey, sexy. Long time no see …” Justin slurs. He smells like beer.

I remember him bragging that he didn’t drink very much, so his tolerance must be low. He’s drunk.

Quadruple shit.

“Hi, Justin, it’s good to see you. Can I speak to you in the house?” I ask as quietly as possible so Wick, who’s right behind me, can’t hear.

“
Now
you want to talk to me?” he asks loudly, and it gets Wick’s attention.

Wick looks at Justin, who’s staring at me, then looks at me, confused. Katie jumps in to try to save the day.

“Justin! It’s so good to see you,” she jabs Jason in the ribs for help. “How’ve you been? Jason, take him over to our house and show him your new weights. I bet he’s got some good pointers for you.”

She grasping at straws to remove him from the table. Justin ignores her, and won’t stop staring at me.

“I see your face every day. Your picture is on an ad on the train. I haven’t stopped thinking about you. We were so good together.”

He places his hand on my thigh, and the next moments play before me like a slow-motion film. I see Wick reach in front of me, practically knocking me to the ground, and his hand lands firmly around Justin’s throat. I stand up to get out of the way. Justin appears shocked at first, and then becomes enraged. He reaches out to grab Wick in the same manner. The two of them look like fighting dogs that grab hold and won’t let go. Their faces are bright red; they’re struggling to breathe.

Jason and Brian are quick to jump into the fray and separate them. Justin and Wick both bend over and gasp for air.

“What the fuck are you doing, man?” Justin spits out at Wick, obviously not discerning that he’s with me.

Wick gets back up in his face.

“Don’t you lay a fucking hand on her. Don’t even look at her. She’s mine, you asshole. I don’t know who you think you are, but if I ever see your face again I’ll break it in half,” Wick says in a deadly low register, his accent making it difficult to understand.

The point gets across, and Justin allows Brian to walk him inside. It happened so fast, that none of the kids heard what happened, and was over before most of the other guests saw. Thank God.

Wick wastes no time, and begins to walk toward the front door. I have to double-time to catch up with him. He doesn’t stop or turn around; he’s on a straight path to the car. He throws open the driver’s side door and gets in. I race to the other side before he can drive away. He doesn’t start the engine, so I think he wants me to get in.

I close the door, and we’re ensconced in the silence of the car. His chest is rising and falling rapidly; he’s struggling to get himself under control. I’ve never seen him lose his temper. He usually maintains a cool façade no matter what the situation. Granted, we haven’t been confronted with something like this before.

Never did I think that we would run into Justin like this. I hadn’t given him another thought since the night we were together, but he clearly remembers me. I didn’t bother telling Wick because I didn’t feel the need. Must we tell each other about every one-night stand? I think Wick was caught off-guard. He liked it that I had no sexual history since I moved to Chicago. What guy wouldn’t? Or what woman for that matter? No one likes to hear those stories. I see what problems it created for him and me because of my jealousy regarding Pam.

Other than pure anger, I have no idea what he’s feeling. His eyes are closed, and he’s deep into meditative breathing, trying to calm down. I’m grateful he wants a clear mind before we have the inevitable discussion. I try to emulate him, but I’m not as skilled. My heart is racing too fast to slow it through breathing. I’m scared to death of what he’s going to say.

He breaks the pose, and rubs his hands on his face vigorously. He’s ready to speak.

“Do you have something to tell me, Rebecca? Who was that guy and why did he feel like he could put his hand on you?”

I try to swallow and find my voice, but my mouth is bone dry.

“I’m sorry, Wick. I made a huge mistake before you and I met. I let Melanie and Katie set me up with that guy, but it was a terrible date,” I say as he continues to stare out the front window.

“One bad date and he acts like that? I don’t think so.”

“Well, we slept together. I wasn’t interested in him for a relationship, but it had been so long since I’d had sex that I allowed it to happen. He tried to contact me for a long time after that night, but I ignored him. I know it’s a terrible thing to do to someone, but I just didn’t know what to say. I really never thought I’d see him again, so I didn’t mention him to you. I didn’t want you thinking about it and becoming jealous.

“I know I sound like a hypocrite, especially after I gave you such a hard time about Pam. I’m sorry. I never want to hurt you, I love you.”

He closes his eyes, and rests his forehead on the steering wheel. He remains silent. To my surprise, he starts the car, and drives back to my house without saying a word.

He parks the car in front, and takes my hand as we go inside. He’s no longer giving off anger vibes, but I’m not sure exactly what emotion has replaced them. He’s difficult to read.

Now that we’re alone, I feel the need to continue with my apology.

“Please, Wick, don’t be angry with me. I didn’t even like him, he was incredibly boring …”

He stops my rant with a sweet kiss.

“I don’t want to hear about him anymore, what’s done is done. However, I do want to hear about every other guy in your life, no matter when it was. I want you to tell me all about your first love, first kiss, your third-grade crush, whoever. I want it all. Imagining you with another man or thinking that you have any other men in your head is hard for a guy like me. I have to know that if we ever run into
anyone
in your history, I’ll know about it.”

“I don’t think that’s such a great idea, Wick. When I heard about Pam, all I could do was obsess over her. Maybe we should just let the past stay in the past.”

“No, I can’t do that. Please, humor me.”

We sit on my sofa, and I tell him all about my uneventful love life. I tell him about Charlie, in fourth grade, whom I’d let kiss me on the cheek and then thought I’d gotten pregnant from it because I had the stomach flu afterward. I tell him about my first what I thought was love, in seventh grade: A beautiful boy, Roger, who turned out to be gay once we reached high school. I tell him about Harrison, and the details of our relationship.

He sits quietly, contemplating and consuming every story I share.

“Then there was this one guy who really took my breath away. He was my knight in shining armor, rescuing my sweet niece, not once, but twice. It turned out that under his armor, there were a few tarnished spots, but he’s tried his best to polish those out. I never knew that the type of love I saw in movies really existed. That the mere presence of someone could make your legs feel weak. That he’s the first thought in your head in the morning, and the last one you have at night. That guy has made me forget about all the other men I’ve ever known.”

A huge smile breaks his stony countenance.

“Thank you, my love. Thank you for sharing your stories with me, and thank you for loving me. I feel whole with you in my life,” he whispers as he leans in for a kiss. A kiss that becomes needy and passionate almost the instant our lips touch.

“Mine are the only lips you’ll ever touch again, my Rebecca. I love you.”

His words feel like warm caramel pouring through my body.

I was scared that he would be more upset that I hadn’t told him about Justin. I think after the initial shock wore off, he realized that he was no hypocrite. He’s had quite an illustrious past, and any day the tables could be turned. A woman from his past could be anywhere, anytime.

He told me his stories, which were admittedly hard to hear, and he now knows all mine. We have a clean slate, with no surprises ahead of us.

Chapter 23

Wick and I decide to celebrate our one-year anniversary by going to the Bears game with Melanie and our group, just like our first date last year. He insisted on meeting up with us just as he did the last time. He admitted that waiting for me to walk up and having a chance to spy on me before I saw him made for one of the greatest days of his life. This time it’s even better, because we’re in love. The sight of him makes my stomach flip.

The Bears are leading their division, so the game is a sellout today. With our crazy crowd it’s a little difficult to look out for him and manage the kids. I’m walking with Lou, holding her hand, while Mel talks on the phone with someone. We get squashed together when another large group of people tries to pass in front of us. I get separated from Lou’s tiny hand, and begin to panic. I push Mel to get her attention and she ends her call. We all spread out and look for her. Mel’s boys call out for her, since she sometimes thinks this is game. I run as fast as I can up and down the concourse where we were walking, but there are too many people to see someone that small. My mind races with terrible outcomes.

“Excuse me, miss. Does this wee one belong to you?”

I turn around, and see two loves of my life, smiling together. Those were the first words I ever heard come out of his mouth. Wick is holding Lou high on his large shoulders, and she’s giggling in delight.

I give him a bear hug, and wag my finger at Lou.

“My dear, you are going to be the death of your poor Auntie Becca!” I say, and Wick laughs. “Thank you, once again for saving the day, sweetheart. I love you.”

I give him a kiss, and Lou wiggles to get down. Wick hands a squirmy Lou over to Melanie.

“Get a harness for that girl, will you?” Wick says, laughing as Melanie thanks him profusely.

She digs through her large purse, and finds a long hair ribbon. She ties it onto the back of Lou’s little overalls.

“There, a perfect leash. I’m going to have a drink,” Mel says, as she turns and grips Lou’s tether as she runs in front of her.

Our group reassembles and heads for the elevators to the luxury suites.

Wick pulls me back, so that we’re alone.

“I saw you in the crowd, and I was happily watching you. That’s when I saw you two get separated. If we ever have a wandering child like her, I may never let her leave the house.”

I heard him loud and clear.
If we have a child
. He’s speaking in plurals and I like it.

The day is perfect, except for the bitter wind and mist off the lake, but in my world it’s warm and sunny. Wick and I are in our own little bubble, ignoring everything around us. This time last year, I was just cracking the outer shell in getting to know him. Now we’re meshed together, deep in each other’s lives. We know all about each other, the good and the bad, no secrets.