Read Online Make Me Whole by Marguerite Labbe - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marguerite Labbe
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me a voice mail and this morning.”
Galen’s eyes widened, and he frowned as he pulled back. “I seem to remember telling you once I didn’t like ultimatums. You’re basing your distrust on a dream.”
“No, I’m basing it on our history.”
“Trust goes both ways. Did you ever think to ask yourself why I kept my distance, or did you assume the worst about me? I was honest with you from the very beginning about what I wanted. I never lied to you. You changed the rules on me and got upset when I pulled back.”
Nick rose and took two steps toward the staircase before he turned to face Galen again. He had asked that question many times. He still wondered what lay behind the easygoing demeanor that Galen had projected that invited closeness but wouldn’t accept any ties. And to make it worse, Galen had to remind Nick that he’d walked right into a broken heart with wide-open eyes.
“I didn’t come here to bring up our sordid past. I came to see if the statues were really the Dexios Collection.”
“And to lay claim to them?” Galen rubbed the arms of his chair, his gaze fixed on Nick. “That’s what you’re good at, isn’t it? Staking a claim on the things you want.”
Nick flushed and looked away. “I didn’t come here to fight, Galen,” he said, his chest tightening even more. “Why’re we arguing?”
Galen sighed and his voice softened. “You know why. I don’t like a threat hanging over my head. I don’t know if you’re trying to goad me or if I’m trying to goad you, but I think we should take a step back and think things through, then try to talk again.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Step back, retreat behind that no-man’s-land you put yourself on.” Nick came around the desk toward Galen. He’d thought that time apart would’ve eased his knee-jerk reaction to Galen pulling back, but apparently not. He should back up himself and not engage Galen. Not after all this time. He couldn’t open that door again and risk Galen hurting him just like last time. What kind of a man did something like that? A masochist, in Nick’s opinion.
“I think we should get back to the topic at hand. I’m sure you want those statues to be seen just as much as I do. What better place than here? Let me show you the plans I have for the whole exhibit. The opening is going to be huge, and your Collection will be right at the heart of it. After all this time, don’t you think Dexios deserves that?”
“I meant what I said.” Nick ignored Galen’s impassioned plea and leaned over the desk until their faces were inches apart. “If you can’t be honest with me about what’s happening with those statues, my statues, then I’m not going to let you keep them. They’re important to my family, and I’m not willing to leave them in the hands of somebody I can’t trust. Something happened last night, something that changed one of them in a significant way. I want to know what you did and if you think you could do it again.”
Galen’s gaze darted away and came right back. He dragged a hand through his hair with a sigh. “I need some time to consider it. I’m still not sure it wasn’t a dream myself. I haven’t had a chance to think it all the way through.”
Nothing had changed; disappointment cut sharp and deep, and it infuriated Nick that he’d let himself think something might’ve changed. When Galen had apologized in his message with that warmth in his voice, Nick had let himself soften.
“You have twenty-four hours. I’ll have found another place for them by then. Do your thinking, and do it quick.”
“Come on, be reasonable,” Galen said, and though his voice remained calm, his hands kept moving, betraying his agitation. “You don’t need to resort to threats.”
“You’ll tell me what I want to know?” Nick held his breath. Come on, Galen, let me in a bit. Give me some reason to hope that maybe, just maybe we can make a relationship work out.
Galen glanced
Galen’s eyes widened, and he frowned as he pulled back. “I seem to remember telling you once I didn’t like ultimatums. You’re basing your distrust on a dream.”
“No, I’m basing it on our history.”
“Trust goes both ways. Did you ever think to ask yourself why I kept my distance, or did you assume the worst about me? I was honest with you from the very beginning about what I wanted. I never lied to you. You changed the rules on me and got upset when I pulled back.”
Nick rose and took two steps toward the staircase before he turned to face Galen again. He had asked that question many times. He still wondered what lay behind the easygoing demeanor that Galen had projected that invited closeness but wouldn’t accept any ties. And to make it worse, Galen had to remind Nick that he’d walked right into a broken heart with wide-open eyes.
“I didn’t come here to bring up our sordid past. I came to see if the statues were really the Dexios Collection.”
“And to lay claim to them?” Galen rubbed the arms of his chair, his gaze fixed on Nick. “That’s what you’re good at, isn’t it? Staking a claim on the things you want.”
Nick flushed and looked away. “I didn’t come here to fight, Galen,” he said, his chest tightening even more. “Why’re we arguing?”
Galen sighed and his voice softened. “You know why. I don’t like a threat hanging over my head. I don’t know if you’re trying to goad me or if I’m trying to goad you, but I think we should take a step back and think things through, then try to talk again.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Step back, retreat behind that no-man’s-land you put yourself on.” Nick came around the desk toward Galen. He’d thought that time apart would’ve eased his knee-jerk reaction to Galen pulling back, but apparently not. He should back up himself and not engage Galen. Not after all this time. He couldn’t open that door again and risk Galen hurting him just like last time. What kind of a man did something like that? A masochist, in Nick’s opinion.
“I think we should get back to the topic at hand. I’m sure you want those statues to be seen just as much as I do. What better place than here? Let me show you the plans I have for the whole exhibit. The opening is going to be huge, and your Collection will be right at the heart of it. After all this time, don’t you think Dexios deserves that?”
“I meant what I said.” Nick ignored Galen’s impassioned plea and leaned over the desk until their faces were inches apart. “If you can’t be honest with me about what’s happening with those statues, my statues, then I’m not going to let you keep them. They’re important to my family, and I’m not willing to leave them in the hands of somebody I can’t trust. Something happened last night, something that changed one of them in a significant way. I want to know what you did and if you think you could do it again.”
Galen’s gaze darted away and came right back. He dragged a hand through his hair with a sigh. “I need some time to consider it. I’m still not sure it wasn’t a dream myself. I haven’t had a chance to think it all the way through.”
Nothing had changed; disappointment cut sharp and deep, and it infuriated Nick that he’d let himself think something might’ve changed. When Galen had apologized in his message with that warmth in his voice, Nick had let himself soften.
“You have twenty-four hours. I’ll have found another place for them by then. Do your thinking, and do it quick.”
“Come on, be reasonable,” Galen said, and though his voice remained calm, his hands kept moving, betraying his agitation. “You don’t need to resort to threats.”
“You’ll tell me what I want to know?” Nick held his breath. Come on, Galen, let me in a bit. Give me some reason to hope that maybe, just maybe we can make a relationship work out.
Galen glanced
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