Page 101 of Burning for You
“I know. I’m a forward-thinking man, Levi. I even love your tattoos, I think they look incredible.” Albert stops, his face full of regrets. “But this time I had to look back, and I don’t like what I saw.”
He reaches behind his jacket and shows me a stack of photos—of my former clients. I’m just about to collapse. I was prepared to answer questions about what I had in mind to build a future for his daughter, but not this.
“I know you weren’t dating them,” Albert says.
“I want nothing more than to respect your daughter. I made a mistake, and I’ve made amends. I don’t do that anymore.”
“Like I said, I don’t usually look back. But this past is a part of you that stretches to my present. I know these women. Some of them are my business friends. Suppose you married Caro. What do you think people would say? My daughter’s husband had been in bed with them? And he took money for it?”
I can’t even gather enough strength to make my case—that I didn’t have sex with those women. The vendetta is there. I’ve never felt more like a whore.
“Does my daughter know?” he asks.
For the first time, I look into Albert’s eyes. They’re probably the eyes that every father has when it comes to protecting his daughter. But I won’t let him destroy what I have with Carolyn because of a mistake I made in the past. “If you want me to break up with her over this, I’m not going to.”
“I’m not asking you to. But you don’t know these women like I do. Things will leak. I’m just asking you to consider Carolyn in your relationship.”
What else does he mean by that, other than a break-up?
After putting the photos back inside his jacket pocket, Albert lights up his cigar. He releases a puff of smoke, which my eyes trail as it soars against the dark sky.
The man says, “So far I’ve managed to get my people to delete every trace of that Anton Mendez recording, but there is always a chance. Always,” he says. “And if your past is exposed too, then the press, her business circles, her acquaintances, will punish you and my daughter for it. Just consider that.”
“I’ll tell her about my escort job right here, right now. You can watch.”
“And you think that’d be the best solution? Do you think it would entertain me? How would she feel, Levi?”
“Let’s ask her now, shall we?”
“Ask her what?” Carolyn has already arrived behind us. Neither her dad nor I say anything.
I swivel. The light from the dining room shines from behind Carolyn and her magnificent silhouette presents itself to me, framed by the grand patio door.
“Ro…”
“What did you say to him?” Carolyn confronts her father as she comes closer. There’s nothing left of the happiness that radiated from her at the dinner table.
“Carolyn, please.” I stand between her and Albert. “Your dad didn’t say anything.”
The penny drops as a shade of pale colors her face. This is not about Albert Meyer. It’s not even about the secret that he uncovered. This is the reality of two different worlds colliding. There will always be impact. Just like her dad, Carolyn is a titan. But she’s also the woman that I love. She says I’m her everything. Romantic, but reality will kick in. There’ll always be an imbalance between us.
Despite my devotion, what will I be to her?
What will she do? Change into someone else to suit me?
I don’t have all the answers tonight. It will take time to find them. Love should conquer all, and her family name shouldn’t bother me. I’m her man.
But I’m only human.
I will tell her about my past. Carolyn will understand. And when the time is right, I’ll bare everything to her, put my pride aside and tell her that I do have fears for the future, and I want to work together so we don’t lose what we have.
“You know I’ll choose him over you,” Carolyn tells her dad.
All I need is time—and this is the part that I don’t think Carolyn understands.
“Mr. Meyer, good to have met you,” I say and walk away. But Carolyn follows me like a train carriage trailing its locomotive. “You stay. Please. Tell your mom I had a lovely night.” I pull myself away from her.
“Levi,” Carolyn calls.
My head screams for reprieve, and my heart is filled with dejection that I can only overcome when I’m alone. I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret, so I ignore her and head to the garage. I’ll ride the motorcycle home. There’s no way I’d let Carolyn handle that machine by herself tonight.
Meanwhile she’s still hot on my trail. “Levi, please let me come home with you,” she begs.
I shake my head. “Stay. Talk to your mom, I’m sure you two have a lot more to catch up on. I’ll see you at home.”
Carolyn softens. She nods, and then asks, “My place or your place?”
I’d like home to be my place. But looking at her distraught face, I say, “Your place.” Even though it’s actually not the home I want to return to.