That was his specialty. Driving people away.
“We need to talk,” he said as he put the car in Park.
“Cole, I’m done talking.”
“It won’t take long,” he said as he watched her unbuckle her seat belt. “Just come into my office. There are a couple of things I need to tell you.”
“Like what? About your case?” She exhaled sharply. “Face it, Cole. The whole thing was probably an accident. I can see how it happened after wearing these stupid heels all night. Heidi likely spilled her drink and fell. She hit her head. I don’t know why she was facedown. She could have tried to get up but failed.”
“That makes sense.” His instincts told him something different, but he had no proof. It was time to stop and move on to the next assignment.
“Your case is over,” she continued. “Heidi’s family reconnected with her. You don’t have to investigate anymore. You don’t have to go to the rehearsal dinner or the wedding. It’s all good.”
There was something about Angie’s voice that bothered him. She sounded tired. Disappointed. She sounded like she was giving up on him. “That’s not what I want to talk about,” he said, his voice rough as the fear clawed his chest. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
Angie paused before she gave a sigh of defeat. “Fine. But you have five minutes.”
He helped her out of the car. The rain was now a mist, clinging to their skin and clothes. Angie didn’t touch him or hold on to his arm as she navigated the puddles. She didn’t say a word as they walked into his office suite. She didn’t look around but headed straight for the other room, slapping the light switch as she entered.
“Well?” Angie asked once he stepped into the room after her. “What is so important that we had to discuss it here?”
He took a deep breath but it didn’t diminish the nervous energy coursing through his veins. “You’re right,” he said as he started to pace. “I didn’t trust you enough. I didn’t realize it until you said it just now.”
Angie didn’t say anything. She stood by the sofa, arms crossed, as she watched him walk around the small room. She glanced at her wristwatch and the fear gripped him harder. He needed to explain himself and reveal his darkest moments, but he didn’t think he could do that under the clock.
“I didn’t tell you some things about me because...” He floundered, trying to come up with the right words. He wasn’t much of a talker and what he said now would have a great impact on his future. “Because it would open some old wounds.”
“It was more than omitting a few important facts,” she pointed out. “You lied to me. You led me to believe that you didn’t have a family. Why would you lie about something like that?”
“I felt...” He stopped and gathered all the courage he had. “I felt that if you knew all about me, saw the real me, you would leave.”
“Okay, that’s kind of what you said before. I’m not really sure where this is heading.” She sat down on the sofa. “Is there something you’ve done in your past that I should know about?”
“No.” He crossed his arms tightly. “It’s about the personal stuff I was going through when we were together. You suggested moving in and that—”
“Scared you off, I know.” She leaned back into the sofa and crossed her legs. “You didn’t want to make that kind of commitment.”
“No, you’re wrong. I wanted to make a commitment.” When she had made the suggestion, he wanted to instantly agree before she would have changed her mind. “But I didn’t want to make the mistakes I’d made in the past.”
He saw the hurt and surprise flash in her eyes. She pressed her lips together. “You lived with someone before me?”
“No, I didn’t want to before. I’m not easy to live with. I never have been.” He made a face. That was an understatement. He had chosen not to live with anyone, not even a roommate when he was younger, because he knew they would grow to resent and hate him. He hadn’t been interested in living with a girlfriend until he met Angie.
She made him want things he told himself he couldn’t have. She showed him a world that sounded almost too good to be true. He knew it wouldn’t last. He would ruin it just like he always did.
“I wanted...” He paused and tried again. “I wanted to know where I went wrong before I moved in with you. In the past, I had pushed away the people I love. Like my parents.”