Then Came Indecision (Southern Love #2) (3 page)

“Are you back together?” Martha asked.

“No,” she said quickly. “But…we’re talking, I guess.”

Aunt Martha smiled. “You seem confused.”

“Well, Paul said we only broke up because I ruined the relationship. And as much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I pushed him away until I caused the break. But when I came here, I wasn’t expecting to meet Blaise. I just don’t know what to do.”

“Why did you push Paul away?”

Alexandra pushed her pancakes around the plate.

“Seriously, you aren’t going to tell me? It’s been months, Alex. Just spill it.”

“I killed someone.” She kept her eyes glued to her plate.

Aunt Martha stared at her.

“It was an accident.”

“Tell me what happened.”

Alexandra told her the entire story.

“Dear, you didn’t kill anyone.”

“That’s what everyone keeps saying,” she mumbled.

“Because it’s true. And even if it wasn’t, don’t just give up every time you aren’t perfect at something. Medicine isn’t absolute. There are conditions that can’t always be fixed. You did the best job you could do under the circumstances. Now let it go. You need to be strong.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Make it easy, then.”

Alexandra couldn’t look at her aunt.

“Was your license taken away?”

“No,” Alexandra said.

“Were you suspended?”

“No…”

“Was there any legal action taken against you?”

“No.”

“Well, if you did do something wrong, I’m sure you would have been sued for it,” Martha said. “Or the hospital would have. So there’s your proof. The board would have taken away your license if they thought it was due to negligence.”

“But what if it happens again?”

“It will,” Martha said simply.

Alexandra looked up, confused.

“You’re a nurse. People are going to die. You act like this is brand new information.”

“I know but—”

“But what?” she said. “You knew this before you became a nurse. No excuses, Alex. Now go back to work and learn from your experiences.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“And you make it more difficult than it needs to be.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared her down.

“Why do you have to be so hard all the time?”

“Because you’re my niece. I’m not going to let you accept failure, at least for a reason like that. I sympathize with you and your experience, but it’s been months, Alexandra. You need to get back to work.”

Alexandra put down her fork. “I understand.”

Martha picked up her newspaper again. “Where’s Paul staying?”

“At a hotel.”

“How long?”

Alexandra shrugged. “Until he finally decides to leave.”

“I have a feeling he’ll be around for a while.” She turned the page of the paper. “Invite him to stay for a while. He’ll go through his savings if he’s here that long.”

“Uh…I think he’s okay.”

“That’s very rude not to invite him.”

“Well, there’s no room.”

“There’s a couch,” she said. “And I doubt he has a kitchen. He probably eats out for every meal. That’s definitely unsettling. Invite him, Alex.”

“You don’t have to do him any favors.”

“I thought you cared for this boy?”

“Well, of course.”

“Then he’s always welcome here.” Martha folded the paper and started working on the crossword.

Alexandra didn’t know what to do. She had a feeling having Paul there wouldn’t be a good idea.

Chapter Five

Blaise was going insane without Alexandra. No matter what he did, he couldn’t convince her to come back to him. His only hope was Danielle.

“We need to talk,” he said when he came into the living room.

“About what?” She turned off the TV and looked at him.

“I want you to move to California.”

Her eyes widened. “What the hell is in California?”

“I know Evan isn’t.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re unbelievable. I’m not leaving all my friends and family. Forget it.”

“You could take your family with you.”

“No.”

He wanted to scream. “I’ll buy you a beautiful house, and one for your parents. You can
start over in a new place, pursue anything you want. Evan will never find you. It sounds like a pretty damn good idea.”

“I’m not leaving,” she said firmly.

“So, I’m stuck with you. That’s it?”

She shrugged. “I don’t see any other option.”

He sighed. “If you think this is a good way of seducing me, you’re sadly mistaken.”

“Well, it obviously doesn’t take much. Your girlfriend is ugly as shit.”

He glared at her. “Don’t fucking talk about her like that.”

“Well, she is.”

“You’re lucky I don’t hit women.”

“Even if you did, she couldn’t look worse than she does now.”

Blaise clenched his fists in anger. “You better leave her alone.”

“I do what I want.”

“I mean it, Danielle. You talk to her or even look at her, I’ll kick you out.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure.”

“I protect you because it’s the right thing to do, but if you try to hurt Alexandra or make her life more difficult, then I don’t care. If you ask me to pick her or you, it will always be her. Every time.”

“Yet you still live with me.”

“For now,” he snapped.

“Like I said, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Danielle, I’m being serious. Either move to California or move out of my house. Either way, you’re leaving.”

Danielle leaned back on the couch.

“Pick,” he snapped.

“No. I’m staying here.”

He sighed. “Fine. Pack your shit and get out of my house.”

“So Evan can come after me?”

He slammed his fist on the coffee table. “I’ve done everything I can to do what’s right for you, but now you’re just ruining my life. And what’s worse is, you’re doing it on purpose. I’m not putting up with it anymore. You are leaving, and you are telling Alexandra the truth.”

“The truth?” she asked.

“Yes, that you only live here because of Evan. Nothing has happened between us in months. I need her to trust me if I want to get her back.”

“And what makes you think I would help you?”

He glared at her. “You’re such a fucking bitch.”

She shrugged. “I’m not giving you up.”

“I’m already gone, Danielle.”

She stared him down.

“I’ll tell her the truth. She’ll believe me. I know she will.”

Danielle looked away. “I’m not leaving. You’ll have to drag me out.”

“So be it. I’m not losing the greatest thing in my life.” He walked into her bedroom and started to pack her things.

“What the hell are you doing?”

He turned to her. “You thought I was kidding?”

She grabbed the clothes and put them back into the drawers. “Fuck you, Blaise.”

He moved to a different dresser and started to pull everything out.

“Stop it!” She started to cry. “Please don’t leave me, Blaise. I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry.”

“Your tears mean nothing to me.” He wasn’t going to fall for her act anymore. She didn’t deserve his compassion. Blaise kept tossing everything on the bed.

“I said stop!”

“If you just tell Alexandra the truth, we can work something out. She probably wouldn’t care if you lived with me. She’s a sweet girl. She would understand my involvement in protecting you. She would probably even admire me for it.”

Danielle said nothing, letting the tears stream down her face.

“Danielle, do it. There’s no possibility of us ever getting back together, so if you say no, you are just doing it to make me miserable.”

She wiped her tears away. “No.”

“I seriously fucking hate you.” He threw more clothes onto the bed. “You should call your parents and tell them you’re coming.”

She sat on the bed. “No.”

“Are you a fucking child?” he snapped.

She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Whatever. I’ll drop you off anyway. I really don’t care.” He threw everything onto the bed then grabbed boxes from the garage. She remained still, crying while he packed everything. When everything was ready, he came back to her bedroom and stared at her. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

She stared at the wall.

“Fine.” He grabbed her by the arm but she yanked it away. He grabbed her again but she slapped him. He took a deep breath and controlled his anger. He never wanted to hit a woman more in his life. Somehow he kept it back. “I’ll call the cops if I have to, Danielle. But that would be extremely embarrassing for you.”

She glared at him.

He grabbed his phone from his pocket. “I’m dialing.”

“I’m not leaving.”

He put his thumb over the call button.

“Stop,” she said.

He looked at her. “Come to your senses?”

“Can we talk about this?”

“We’ve been talking about it for the past hour.”

“Please let me stay,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to leave. I love you.”

“I’m in love with someone else.”

She sniffed. “Please don’t say that to me.”

“If you really love me, you would help me fix my relationship with Alexandra. Life isn’t selfish, Danielle. And that’s all you’re being—selfish.”

“I just want another chance.”

“Never,” he said firmly. “Now please help me make this right.”

“No.”

“I’ll still protect you from Evan. We both get what we want.”

“No. If she doesn’t trust you for being the man you are, then she doesn’t deserve you.”

“Who could blame her, Danielle? I don’t look very good in this situation.”

“She should still have faith.”

He stared at her. “When you told her I cheated on you, that didn’t give her any reason to trust me. You want me all to yourself but it isn’t going to work.”

She covered her face with her hands. “I can’t believe this.”

“And this evil plan of yours wasn’t going to work forever. Surely, you can’t be that surprised.”

Danielle held her hands together tightly, fidgeting in place. She looked around the room and stared at the wall. They shared the bedroom for almost a year. Th
ey had a lot of memories in that place.

“Come on.” He extended his hand to her.

She stared at it for a long time before she took it.

Chapter Six

It took a long time to get Danielle to go inside. She didn’t want to leave Blaise, but he refused to let her stay. It was time for him to take his life back. As soon as she was gone, he would go to Alexandra and try to win her back.

Danielle looked at him. “Is there anything I can do to change your mind?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m scared of Evan.”

He gave her a sympathetic look. “You obviously aren’t that scared if you didn’t take my offer.”

She glared at him. “I’m not going to help you get in this girl’s pants.”

“I’m not trying to get in her pants,” he snapped.

“How can you just leave me?”

“If he bothers you, just call me. I’ll be there in a heartbeat. It doesn’t matter what time it is, who I’m dating, or where I live. I will always protect you.”

“You promise?” she whispered.

“Of course. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t tolerate a guy hitting a girl. I would give my life in your defense, in any girl’s defense. Don’t ever doubt that.”

“Okay.” She crossed her arms over her chest then stared at the ground. “So this is it?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms like she was cold.

“Danielle, it’s going to be okay.”

“I hope so.”

“Now go inside.”

“What am I supposed to say?”

“The truth,” he said simply.

“Okay.”

Blaise turned away.

“Wait.” She grabbed him and held him tight.

Blaise kept his hands by his sides, unable to return her affection. She caused so much pain and drama in his life. He never wanted anything bad to happen to her, but he didn’t feel any love toward her. He already let her go a long time ago. “Goodbye, Danielle.” He turned away and got into his truck without looking back.

After he left her driveway, he drove to Alexandra’s. When he reached the front door, he looked at the time. It was already mid
night. She was probably asleep. He called her anyway. After it rang a few times, it went to voicemail. Impatient, he called again but she still didn’t answer. He returned the phone to his pocket and stood there, impatient.