"I didn't leave you Carmen. I told you I was only going to be gone two weeks."
She met his bittersweet chocolate gaze. If only she believed that.
"You said you needed to get away from me - that you couldn't live like this. You said you were taking an extended vacation from work. You ran off and left me because you were sick of having me argue with you. What was I supposed to think, Alex? What am I supposed to think now?"
He dumped the remains of the coffee in the sink and set the cup on the counter. Then he reached for her.
"I'm sorry Carmen. I was wrong. I shouldn't have left."
She took a step back, avoiding his hands. Their conversation was going someplace right now and she didn't want to be sidetracked. Once she was in his arms, she would forgive him. If she was ever going to stand up for herself, it had to start right now. She gathered all the courage she could find and looked him in the eye.
"Sorry isn't a magic wand, Alex. After all that's happened, do you think a simple 'I'm sorry, I was wrong' heals the wounds?"
He stopped, looking confused as he lowered his hands. "I suppose not, but I don't know what else I can say."
Leave or stay. Somehow it always seemed to be his choice. He could have said he was angry and said things he didn't mean. He could have said he loved her, or she was the only one for him. The fact that he didn't think of those things was indication enough that he took her forgiveness for granted. Was his love genuine?
A tear escaped her eye and his troubled gaze followed it down her cheek. Once he would have wiped it away and consoled her. Maybe she should forgive him and leave the fighting behind.
She sighed. "I don't know. Maybe there isn't anything you can say or do at this point."
His gaze jerked back to her eyes. He looked disappointed.
"Well," he said. "I guess he was right, then."
He turned toward the door, dismissing her. Obviously he didn't consider their relationship worth the effort. Rob wasn't right. She would never find a better man than Alex. Her heart cried out to him as he walked away. What good was there in calling him back to something he would simply walk away from again? Better to let him go now.
When she finally spoke, her voice was strained.