“Time won’t change my mind. Marriage isn’t for me.”
Her dreams of a life with Theo fractured, crumbled, and shattered. Deep inside of her, she’d always held out hope that Theo might be her forever one, now he was destroying that with every word. “What about a family, don’t you want to have children someday?”
His face spasmed. “I’m not having kids.” His harsh tone made his answer sound final, like it was set in stone and unbreakable.
If that were true, then he really wasn’t the one for her as much as she wished he were. She couldn’t dwell on impossibilities with the time line she was against; she needed to wipe him from her mind and focus on a man who could give her the things she wanted.
God, this was going to be tough. Would any man ever measure up to Theo? She prayed someone would, otherwise she was screwed.
Theo scrubbed a hand through his hair and waved the other hand between them. “Whatever this thing between us is can’t go any further. I need you to understand that, Chloe.”
A pang of regret flooded through her. She nodded. She understood—it didn’t mean she liked it.
Needing to get away, she said, “Well… thank you for tonight. I’m grateful for your help with my crazy plan. Fingers crossed it worked.” She held up her two entwined fingers. Opening the door, she stepped out into the night. “Good night, Theo.”
“Good night.”
She closed the door behind her and heaved a heavy sigh. From the steps of her building, she watched Theo drive off.
Tonight’s pretend date had been successful. She’d had a beautiful dinner with great company. Theo had been the perfect gentleman. He’d made her laugh, and she felt comfortable around him. Most importantly, she hadn’t sneezed.
It had been the perfect date.
Just not with the perfect man.
Chapter Nineteen
Theoscrubbedahandover his face. Not even back-to-back meetings with suppliers could stop him from thinking about two nights ago.
Now he had her date with Owen looming over his head. Images of what they might do together filled his mind. Would she let Owen walk her to her apartment? Let him kiss her, touch her? Not his business. She could do whatever the hell she wanted. At least that's what he tried to tell himself, but it didn’t stop his gut clenching.
Theo and Blake sat in his office scanning through the reports, and like he’d conjured him up, Owen walked in. Theo’s jaw clenched. This man was taking Chloe out to dinner in a couple of hours, and he wanted to slam his fist on the timber table.
“Hey, Theo, Blake. I’ve got the report for the Hanson Liquor account you asked for.” He waved the file in the air before dropping the folder on the table.
“Thanks, that was quick. I wasn’t expecting it for another couple of hours.” Blake picked it up and flicked through the pages.
An anticipatory smile flashed across Owen’s face. “I’m leaving early so I got it done.”
Something about the man’s attitude rubbed him the wrong way. “I better not find any mistakes because you’ve rushed through this.” Theo crossed his arms over his chest.
Owen shook his head. “No mistakes. I double-checked everything.”
“Maybe you should triple-check it,” Theo said, annoyed at the man’s flippant tone. “This account is important.”
Blake glanced between Theo and Owen. His eyebrows pulled together, then he said, “I’m sure it’s fine. You’re always thorough, Owen.”
“Thanks,” Owen said.
“Where’re you heading off to?” Blake asked, clearly trying to steer the conversation into calmer waters without much success.
Unaware of the minefield he’d wandered into, Owen answered, “I’ve got a date.” He turned toward Theo. “Thank you for setting me up with Chloe. We’ve talked a couple of times over the phone, and she seems like a great woman.”
In Theo’s peripheral vision, he saw Blake’s eyebrows shoot up.
“No problem.” Theo picked up the folder and flicked through the pages, not seeing a word or number written through the red haze clouding his vision.
“I think this could be something. We have a lot in common,” Owen continued blithely.