Finding His Mrs. Right (Mending Hearts Series) (17 page)

“What?” I asked.

“I saw you two last night. He’s why you shut me down, right?”

“You saw us?” I asked stunned as my cheeks heated
, and he nodded.

“Do you love him?” he asked and I could hear the pain in his voice.

“No.” I said walking over to him, but I instantly stopped when I remembered his ex, who was in the house.

“But you obviously love
her
.” I sneered.

“Far from it.”
Landon bit.

“Look, I get that you slept with her because I hurt you. So there’s no need to—”

“I didn’t sleep with her. She stayed the night in a guest room because it was too late to take her back to her hotel room last night.”

“You didn’t sleep with her?” I asked angry, but a bit relieved as I looked up into his beautiful eyes.
I could tell when he told me the truth just by the look in his eyes. Landon didn’t even flinch when he said,

“No. I wouldn’t touch her with a six foot pole.” He grumbled angrily.

“If you feel that way, why is she
here
?” I pushed.

“
We came back here and had some drinks together. I wanted to have drinks at the place where I saw you and Ryan, but obviously seeing you two together pissed me off. So, before I took his head off and humiliated myself, I left. Jocelyn just happened to tag along.” He answered.

“
Which seems to happen too much since she arrived.” I grumbled jealously.

“I gave you your answers, so I want mines.” He insisted.

“I’m not dating, Zach. That was the first time I’d ever met him.” I answered truthfully.

“What would you be
meeting
him for?” he asked, curiously.

I guess this was it. It
wasn’t how I wanted to tell him, but oh well.

“He offered to buy my company. He offered me twenty million dollars to move my company to Los Angeles.” I said in one breath.

Landon stood silent as he glared at me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but I was afraid of whatever it was he was going to say.

“You turned me down for him?
For money?”

“No—yes…but when you say it like that—”

“I tell you I’m falling in love with you—and you run away because of Zachary Ryan. Do you know how long it’s taken me to even
try
to open my heart to the idea of love?” Landon pointed out, and I felt like crap.

“
Landon, I’m sorry. That’s why I came.” I muttered.

“Are you ok, Landon?” I heard Jocelyn call, and she was in the doorway again. At least this time she was clothed.

“Fine!” he shouted back and she sneered at me, before she disappeared.

“Are you still in love with her?!” I shouted, letting my anger get the best of me.

“No, and when I did, it was only puppy love. Nothing like I feel for you. I don’t want Jocelyn, she cheated on me. I walked in on her with none other than, Zachary Ryan. That’s why I hate the guy ok?!” he shouted and I sucked in a hard breath. I didn’t know what to say.

“Landon—”

“No, I told you how I felt, Tessa. You act like I’m not scared to death of this, but the fact is, I’m terrified. But I still put myself out there. I can’t make you love me if you don’t. I laid everything out for you. I brought you a house just so you wouldn’t leave, but you tore my heart out when you ran away from me. I can’t make your heart feel something that it doesn’t.” Landon said, cutting me off.

Again, I didn’t know how to reply. My feelings were all over the place and I
was scared. I didn’t want to fall in love. I put a wall up because I didn’t want anyone to come close, but here I was, in a predicament. Landon made me glow, he made me nervous like a love struck teen, but I was too scared to accept it.

“I do feel something for you.” I whispered.

“Why are you so hot and cold with me? Is there someone else?” Landon asked, and again there it was, my opportunity to tell him about Dean. I couldn’t find the right words, but Jocelyn interrupted us anyway.

“Landon, I need you for a minute.” She replied sauntering up to him.

“About what?” he asked a bit annoyed, turning to her.

“It’s private.” She said widening her eyes as she touched his shoulder.

I gritted my teeth as I bawled my hands into fists. I was about five seconds from planting my fist into her face. She was being annoying for a reason, and it was to get Landon alone with her. I knew the game, I was a female, but Landon was mines. I watched as she ran her perfectly manicured fingernails up his arm, and that was it.  Moving forward, I shoved her back, and put myself between them.

“
What the hell?!” Jocelyn screamed, catching her balance after stumbling back.

“
Landon is
mines
. Keep your paws off of him or I swear you’ll live to regret it.” I barked. We stared at each other evilly and my eyes dared her to approach me. I was going to tear her from limb to limb and would be happy about it.

“
I’ll be inside waiting for you.” Jocelyn snapped.

“The hell you will.” I snapped going after her, but Landon grabbed me by my waist.

“Go inside!” Landon barked to Jocelyn. She did as she was told, and darted inside. Only then, did Landon let me go.

“You should’ve let me tear into her.” I insisted calming down and Landon smiled.

“Is that what it takes for you to show how you really feel about me?” he asked and I shook my head embarrassed.

“Good because I can’t see myself with anyone else, and trying to make you jealous everyday would be exhausting.” He chuckled, and it was good to hear him laugh again.

“Shut up.” I said shoving him playfully.

“How do we get to the point of being ok? How do we fix us?” Landon asked, taking my smaller hands into his.

“We already did.” I insisted getting on my tippy toes to kiss him.

“We still need to talk.” He insisted and I nodded.
I knew there was still a lot to hash out between us, especially now that Zachary Ryan had come into play. I had a lot of thinking to do. But, I was glad that we were on the same page again. Fighting with Landon wasn’t fun. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed him in my life.

“First you need to get rid of her.” I said between kisses and he nodded.

“On it.” He said ending our kiss. “Then we can have some make up sex.”

“That
sounds great.” I moaned as his hands traced the spawn of my back.

“Good, let me drive her to town, get her to sign a few papers, and I’ll be back.”  Landon sa
id, kissing me.

“Can’t Sam take her?” I asked a bit annoyed. I was ready to make up in all the right ways.

“I wouldn’t go if I didn’t have to—trust me.” He said running his hands down to my ass. “I have every intention of letting you show me how sorry you are.” He smiled.

“I don’t want her back here again.” I demanded with a kiss.

“Done.” He said easily and that caused me to smile.

I was sure that I was falling in love with
Landon. I just needed the gall to say it out loud.

Eighteen

Stalking into the restaurant, I fixed my tie as I saw the table I was supposed to be at.
I’d set up a meeting earlier that day with a person I really needed to see, and now that Tessa was back, I could make it short. Walking to the seat, I pulled it out before sitting down.

“I didn’t expect you to answer my calls.” Zach replied, staring across the table at me.

“Well, I had a few words I wanted to have with you.” I sneered.

“Is this about your new “girlfriend”?
” he asked.

“To be perfectly honest, yeah.
I know all about the little deal you’re trying to strike with her, and I want you stop it.” I barked.

I knew he was only doing this to get a rise out of me. Unfortunately, it was working. Zach chuckled as he glared at me.

“Something funny?” I asked angrily.

“Yeah, you.
This isn’t about you and your ridiculous grudge you choose to hold against me. I’m truly interested in her company. She’s made some noise in the business world and I want to take her to the next level.” Zach shrugged.

“If you hadn’t noticed, I’m fully capable of taking her company to the “next level”.” I barked.

“I’m pretty sure my offer is looking pretty tempting to her, am I right? If I weren’t, we wouldn’t be sitting here now, would we?” he asked cockily.

Half of his statement was true, but the fact of the matter was, I’d arranged a meeting with him before Tessa told me about the offer.

“I just want to tell you to stay away from, Tessa.” I warned with a malicious glare.

“
Ooh, I never pegged you as the jealous, territorial type.” Zach chuckled, and I wanted to knock that smug look off of his face.

“
You’re such an asshole.” I barked.

“Tell me what I did to make you hate me so much.” Zach insisted, and I was two seconds away from jumping across the table.

“I’m not playing this game with you.” I replied.

“Seriously, we went from being friend
s to enemies, and I don’t know why.” Zach said and he looked genuinely confused. “I couldn’t have done something
that
bad.”

“How
about the fact, that you
fucked
my girlfriend.” I barked, and Zach sat back in his chair as if he were blown away.

The look on his face was puzzled and it only made
me more irate. How could he have forgotten something like that?? Had he been wasted? He knew I was dating Jocelyn when they messed around.

“Jocelyn?” he asked raising an eyebrow at me.

“Screw this.” I said getting up. “Stay away from Tessa or I swear I’ll hurt you. I love her
, you hear me? This isn’t high school anymore. I’ll kick your ass if you try to sleep with her.”

“I never slept with, Jocelyn.” He replied, and I stopped in my tracks
, as his words seeped in. I looked back at him as I tried to run that night’s events through my head again. I never saw the guy’s face, but it had to have been him. He had been throwing himself at her for weeks.

“I flirted with her, yeah. She flirted with
everyone
, Landon. You were my boy; I would’ve
never
done that to you. You should’ve asked me instead of hating me.” Zach shrugged as he turned back to the table. Swallowing hard, I stalked out of the restaurant.

I needed some answers.

“Zach swears that it wasn’t him that slept with Jocelyn.” I spat as I paced the room for the umpteenth time.

“Do you really believe him?” Tyler asked, rolling his eyes.

“He sounded pretty damn convincing.” I sighed as I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Tell me the truth; did Jocelyn flirt with a lot of guys?”

“Landon…”

“Oh God, I was such an idiot.” I grumbled as I fell onto the sofa behind me.

“You weren’t an idiot, you were just love struck. A lot was going on at home for you
, too much for you to see what was right in front of you.” Tyler said, trying to make me feel better.

“And that’s always going to be the story of my life.” I sighed.

“So, are you and Tessa ok? That’s the biggest thing right now.” Tyler said as there was a tap on the door.

“I’m trying to get her to stay here with me.” I replied as the door opened.

“Hey sweetie, we’re back.” Amanda replied smiling at Tyler.

“I missed you.” Tyler said going over and kissing his wife. God, I wanted what they had. I had never envied it before, but I did now.

“Uncle Landon!” Danny shouted running into the room and hugging me.

I squeezed him tight as I stared at him. Boy was he growing like a weed.

“When are we going to play baseball?!” he asked excitedly.