16. Beau #3
“Of course!” I yell out, throwing my hands in the air in exasperation as I start pacing in circles around the room. “All roads lead to me being a cheater. It’s an old, and untrue, story, Shelby. And one of these days, you’re going to believe that.”
“I know the truth, and I always have,” she says, stepping into my space.
I suck in a breath as the scent of her soap hits me. Floral. Jasmine, maybe? All I know is that a smell this sweet is the biggest juxtaposition of Shelby LeBlanc. Because nothing about her is sweet. Firey? Yes. Bold? Every day. But sweet? Never.
Now my traitorous brain is wondering if she tastes as sweet as she smells.
“I know my truth,” I grit. “I didn’t cheat. I turned in the card you signed off on. What happened between then and the announcement I still to this day don’t know. But I didn’t come here to hash out a decades old fight that you’ll never listen to my side about.”
“Apologies,” she says sarcastically. “Then let’s go back to the topic at hand: You being a complete and total ass today.”
I run my hands through my hair and take a few steps back, trying to calm myself down before I absolutely lose it on this maddening woman.
“Again, I’m sorry. For everything. I treated you horribly and acted like an idiot.
And I wanted to say that to you so that way, hopefully, we can do our best to get through this weekend without it lingering more than it has to. ”
On a scale of one to ten, I think that apology was a solid seven and a half.
Heartfelt. Genuine. Honest. I deducted points for how easily she gets me off topic and I end up screaming at her.
But the look she’s giving me now doesn’t equal someone who just got a better-than-average apology.
No. Shelby’s looking at me like I forgot a big piece of the puzzle.
“What?”
“Is that it?”
“I mean…yes?”
“Great. Now leave.”
That’s it? “Excuse me? Leave? No, ‘Thank you, Beau. You didn’t have to say all of that. You’re really a good guy even though I think you’re the spawn of Satan. And while we’re at it, I’m going to apologize too.’”
My joke does the opposite of land. Instead, it just pisses her off more. Which, I should’ve seen coming. Especially with that last part.
“What in the world am I apologizing for?”
“Oh I don’t know, I seem to remember someone jumping on my back and trying to beat the shit out of me. Was that you or Phil?”
“That was me. And I’d do it again. Unapologetically.”
“Yep, once again, Shelby doing no wrong in her eyes,” I say stepping into her space, giving her no other choice but to look me in the eyes. “Was I wrong today? Yes. But acting like you aren’t a little to blame in this is laughable.”
“I did nothing wrong. I only acted the way I did because of you. Actually, looking back over the course of my life, you’re the reason I’ve made many dumb decisions.”
“And there it is!” I throw my hands up in the air in surrender.
“There what is?"
“That no matter what happens in your life, I’m always going to be your bad guy,” I say.
“Today, Chad fucked with you. He’s fucked with you all week.
He messed with your clubs. He didn’t show up for his job.
You tried to fire him and he manipulated his way in for one more day.
Yet, here I am, apologizing, trying to make things right, and I’m still your bad guy.
Well guess what, princess, I’m not the villain. Maybe one day you’ll figure that out.”
Her eyes turn to fire. Guess I hit a nerve.
“Leave,” she says sharply, but she’s not trying to rebut anything I said. Because I know I’m right.
“Fine,” I say, grabbing her bottle of vodka and taking a swig because I need something to burn away this rage I’m feeling. “See you on the course, Belle. You stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”
I brush past her on the way to the door, but just as my hand hits the knob, I hear the quietest three words I’ve ever heard Shelby say.
“I hate you.”
This time, they aren’t just words. She’s said that to me many times. Hell, I’ve said it to her. But never like this. Never as a whisper. Never in a way that sounds like she’s trying to convince herself of them.
I slowly turn around to see Shelby looking straight at me.
Her hands are over her stomach like she’s trying to hold herself together.
But her eyes? The blinks aren’t even double.
They’re fluttering. Like she’s trying to stop herself from crying while also trying to put back on the shield of armor that’s protected her for so long.
“Say it again.”
It takes her a second to internalize my request. “I hate you.”
The quiver in her voice is all I need to know that maybe she doesn’t hate me as much as she thinks she does.
“Again.”
She shakes her head, and I know it has to be killing her to do anything I ask her to do, especially as I’m walking back toward her, my eyes never leaving hers.
“I hate you.”
I push a strand of hair back from her face, letting my fingertips slide down her cheekbone. “Come on, Belle. Say it like you mean it.”
Her breath hitches as the war rages in her eyes. “I hate you.”
The corner of my lip raises, because this woman has never lied so much in her entire life.
“Prove it.”
The fire in her deep blue eyes is blazing, matching the blood coursing through my veins. “How?”
I lean in, making sure our lips are inches apart.
“Don’t kiss me.”