shutters over her eyes. “No. Senada gave me a little party.”
Lisa’s business partner, Senada, was one more reason for Brick to be chewing antacids. The woman was wild, and he didn’t particularly like her influence over Lisa. Despite her age, Lisa had a rare innocence about her that appealed greatly to Brick. “What kind of little party?”
“It wasn’t that big of a deal. She and a few other friends surprised me at the office.”
“She probably brought in an army of male strippers,” Brick muttered under his breath.
“Only one,” Lisa countered. She must have registered his disapproval because she quickly went on. “But my birthday’s not the real issue. It just helped me confirm what’s been on my mind for a long time. The issue is that I want a baby.”
Brick thumbed another tablet from the roll and popped it into his mouth. “Thirty’s still young.”
“I know, but I don’t want to wait until I’m thirty-five or forty and feeling desperate.” Lisa pushed back her hair. “It’s hard to explain, Brick. I just have this strong, strong feeling that now is when I want to have a baby.”
There was dead silence except for him crunching the tablet between his teeth. Brick felt Lisa’s expectant gaze on him. Marriage. His stomach twisted violently. “I’m not ready.”
Another dead silence followed his words. She squared her shoulders. “That’s what I thought,” she managed in a quiet, unsteady voice.
Appearing to brace herself, she took a deep breath and gave a tremulous smile. “It wouldn’t be fair for me to try to badger you into changing your mind, and I wouldn’t be happy staying in this—” she waved her hand searchingly “—non-relationship. So we can’t keep—” Her voice broke off, and she took a few seconds to get back on track.
“I can’t tell you how much these last months have meant to me. Being with you has made me more confident. I need to thank you for that and for everything you’ve taught me about myself.” She looked away self-consciously. “And for everything you’ve taught me about men.”
Everything you’ve taught me about men! Reeling from that last statement, Brick watched in utter disbelief as Lisa rose from the bed and quickly pulled on her robe. She set his clothes on the bed beside him. Lisa was talking, but he couldn’t hear for the roar in his ears.
He got out of bed and planted himself directly in front of her. “You’re dumping me!”
Lisa blinked. “I wouldn’t really call it dumping.” Her gaze slid away from him. “Would you please get dressed?”
Frustration bucked through him. “What’s the matter? You don’t like my body anymore?”
Lisa shot him a dark look. “I never said I didn’t like your body. It’s just distracting for you to stand there stark naked when we’re trying to talk.”
Brick saw the resolute expression on her face and swore. In heated silence, he jerked on his jeans and shirt. “If you wouldn’t call it dumping, then what would you call it?”
Lisa sighed. “We want different things. I want family and commitment. You want a good time. It’s stupid for us to continue to want things from each other that we just can’t give. I’ve been reading some books on the subject, and—”
Brick groaned and sat down on the bed to pull on his shoes. Not another one of those women’s self-help books. They would be the death of him yet.
“—they say it’s better if you make a clean break in this case. It has taken me two months to be able to do it, but I think it’s for the best.” Her voice wavered as if she were fighting back tears.
Brick was dealing with a surprisingly sharp pain in his chest. He stood. “So this is it?” he asked, still not quite able to comprehend it. “After nine months of being together, this is it.”
Lisa closed her eyes, appearing to gather her composure. “I guess it is,” she finally said in a small voice as she opened her eyes. “I wish—” She pressed her lips together and shook her head as if she’d made a vow not to make any more wishes concerning him.
With every passing second, she seemed to grow farther and farther away from him. She’d taken him by surprise, and he was left not knowing what to do. He’d been completely faithful to her and as thoughtful as he knew how to be. He’d also, however, assumed he had the upper hand in their relationship and always evaded any discussion about commitment. He was battling confusion at the same time he realized that she meant what she was saying. She meant to end it, and he wasn’t ready for that either. He plowed his fingers through his hair, not knowing what the hell to do or say. “Can I kiss you?”
Wrapping her arms around herself, Lisa took a step back. She shook her head again. “I don’t think it would be a good idea.”
Her refusal cut like a knife. “Then why’d you go—” He gestured toward the bed.
“I—I hadn’t really intended to, but you—”
“But I was ready and raring to go the second I saw you. Like I always am,” he finished in disgust, recalling her slight hesitation when he’d kissed the breath out of her and carried her to bed. Feeling lost, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I guess this is goodbye.”
Lisa’s eyes welled with tears. “I guess it is,” she whispered.
Brick walked to the front door and put his hand on the cold doorknob. He hesitated. This was nuts. Maybe they could talk about it some more. Maybe Lisa could wait a little longer. Wait for what? his conscience chided. He was never going to get married and have children. Something inside him rebelled at the thought of not being with her anymore, though. Having no idea what he could say, he turned. “Lisa?”
“Go on,” Lisa urged. Her body was more shadow than substance in the dark hallway, but her voice was sure. “You’ve already said goodbye.”
With a bitter taste in his mouth, Brick opened the door and walked out.
Lisa didn’t breathe until she heard his footsteps completely fade away. Panic squeezed her chest like a huge rubber band, and she breathed so quickly, she feared she might hyperventilate. She grabbed a paper bag from a cabinet beneath the kitchen sink and yanked it over her head. She concentrated on breathing slowly and deeply.
Lord help her, she’d done it. After two months of rehearsing and letting futile wishes die, she’d ended her relationship with Brick Pendleton.
It would be easier to dismiss Brick if he were shallow or cruel, but Lisa knew better. He’d been fair and square with her from the beginning. Marriage wasn’t in his plans, he’d told her, and she’d accepted his stand until her feelings had grown to where she couldn’t conceal them. She knew Brick had been promoted to a division director in his business because of his hard work, honesty and fairness. He had the respect of not only his profession, but the whole community.
He was a man of action and compassion. When the Midwest had suffered from horrible floods, he’d organized a relief program that had benefited the flood victims and the citizens of Chattanooga who’d watched the devastation on the news every night and felt helpless.
He’d been a passionate and thoughtful lover. He
