I Choose You (16 page)

             
“Nic,” He said harshly. “How could you ever believe that your parents would approve of me? That they would ever accept us as a couple? It won’t happen. We’re from two different worlds. C’mon, you can admit it… You’re looking for marriage and children and a perfect home like this one. After seeing my parents’ marriage, and Roni’s, I just don’t see it happening for me.”

             
He watched as his words began to sink in, as she began to understand what he was saying. Her eyes began to fill again. He knew he had to finish it now, before he caved, crushed her to him, and begged her to stay with him forever.

             
“We both know that this will never work. We are too different, and want different things. I think it’s better if we just walk away now, before it gets more difficult.”

             
Nicole looked up at him, her beautiful eyes shined with tears and her full lips quivered. “You want to walk away?”

             
Kent felt the burn begin in the back of his throat and slowly start a descent down to his stomach.

             
“Yes. I think it’s best if I leave now. You should stay, and be with your family. I can send Roni back to pick you up.”

             
Nicole sniffled slightly, then raised her chin and looked him in the eye. “Don’t do me any favors. I’ll get my own ride back.”

             
Kent nodded curtly, then turned to walk down the steps and towards his car.

             
When he heard the door open, he turned and saw Nicole rush into Jake’s arms, her shoulders quivering.

             
He felt like he’d been punched in the gut and fought the urge to go back up the steps and rip her out of Jake’s arms.

             
Instead he turned, got into his car, and drove back home.

Chapter Eighteen

             
A few days later Kent was sitting at his desk writing a piece on the upcoming local election, and trying unsuccessfully to not think about Nicole, when Marla’s gravelly voice shouted to him from the other room.

             
“Kent, the boss wants to see you.”

             
Kent saved his progress before pushing back from his desk and walking back to Chuck’s office. The door was open, so he knocked on the door jam and waited for Chuck’s invitation before entering.

             
“Come on in, Kent. Shut the door behind you and have a seat.”

             
Kent did as requested, curious as to what Chuck would have to say to him behind a closed door.

             
“I know we have discussed this briefly in the past, and I know you have been applying to other papers in bigger cities than this one, but after a long discussion with the wife, I have come to a decision.” Chuck paused for affect before continuing on. “Kent, I’m going to retire and I’d like you to take over the paper.”

             
Kent didn’t say anything. He knew Chuck’s penchant for long pauses, and figured he wasn’t finished saying everything he wanted to say.

             
He was right.

             
“Now, before you say anything, I want to make myself clear. I want to fully retire and enjoy the rest of my days, never having to think about this paper again. What I’m offering here is not just a chance for you to run the paper, but to buy it from me outright. I know you’re a smart business man, and we could come up with a good payment plan with the bank, so I feel totally confident that you could own this paper and run it well.”

             
Kent was silent as everything the other man said really sank in.

             
He’d own his own business.

             
He already owned a home in this town, and his sister was here. He could put down roots and settle here forever.

             
He thought briefly of his dreams of living in a big city and realized that it didn’t have the pull for him that it once had.

             
He wasn’t a spontaneous person by nature, but he knew a tremendous opportunity when he heard one, and when he thought of all of the possibilities that owning his own newspaper held, he knew what his decision had to be.

             
“Yes, Chuck, I’ll take you up on your offer.” Kent stood and held out his hand to Chuck, who took it and shook it enthusiastically.

             
“Outstanding, Son,” Chuck said with a wide grin. Then he reached under his desk and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. “Let’s have a drink to celebrate.”

             
Kent couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as he pulled into his driveway later that evening. He and Chuck would be going to the bank the next morning to start getting all of the necessary documents in order.

             
Kent parked and was about to head inside to get ready for Rich’s visit. He’d texted him earlier to say that he’d arrived in town and asked about getting together that evening. Kent had told him to stop by, and he had a few minutes to get settled before Rich showed up.

             
He was surprised, but pleased, to see Roni waiting on his couch when he opened the door.

             
“Hey, Roni,” He said with a grin when he saw her. “I tried calling you earlier; you aren’t going to believe what happened to me today.”

             
Roni put her hand out, indicating he should stop talking, then she stood up, put both of her hands on her hips, and shot him a dirty look.

             
“You’re news can wait,” Roni said harshly, her grey eyes flashing dangerously. “I have tried giving you some space, but I couldn’t take it any longer. What did you do to Nicole?”
              Kent looked down at the ground before glancing back up at her with a shrug. “What did she say? How’s she doing?”

             
Roni threw her hands up, exasperated. “She hasn’t said anything… At least not to me. Jake brought her home from her parents’ house, and I could tell she was upset, but she said she couldn’t talk to me about it. All she would say is that you ended things.”

             
“She shouldn’t be taking it out on you,” Kent began.

             
“She’s not taking it out on me, you Bonehead. She’s friendly and we talk about other stuff, but she won’t tell me what happened. She won’t confide in me and let me help her through this, because I happen to be related to you and she doesn’t want to put me in the middle. I gave you a few days to realize that you’d made a mistake, but here you are, so I’m here to hear it from you. What happened?”

             
Kent walked over to her and motioned for her to sit back down on the couch, then sat next to her.

             
“I told her it wouldn’t work. In the long run. Look, Roni, you didn’t meet her parents or see the place she grew up in. It’s the polar opposite of what we had as kids.”

             
“So?”

             
“So… I just didn’t fit in there. Nicole deserves a man that can give her everything she’s ever dreamed of. She’s good, sweet, and pure. She deserves someone that’ll make her proud and be proud of everything that she’s.”

             
Roni looked at him like he had a screw loose.

             
“And why aren’t you that man?”

             
“C’mon, Roni,” Kent stood up, frustrated, then started to pace around his living room. “You know the things I dealt with growing up, and the things that I’ve done. I’m not that man.”

             
“Now you’re pissing me off,” Roni began, standing herself and walking over to him. “Nicole would be lucky to have you. You’re the most loving, generous, and protective man that I’ve ever met. You would be there for her and give her everything you are capable of giving. Don’t talk about yourself as if you’re not good enough. Do you think that I wouldn’t be good enough for a nice man or a man who was raised with money?”

             
“No, Roni, of course not,” Kent replied as he ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. “You deserve the best.”

             
“So do you, and so does she.” Roni put her arms around his waist and looked up at him. Into his eyes. “You guys deserve each other. Don’t be a horse’s ass, Kent.”

             
She hugged him to try and soften her harsh words, then pulled back to look at him again.

             
“What was your good news?”

             
He kissed her on the top of her head, then smiled wryly down at her.

             
“Now you want to hear my news? You tear me a new one and now you want to hear it?” He laughed softly as he said it, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

             
“Yup,” Roni grinned back up at him.

             
“Chuck offered to let me buy the paper from him. He wants to retire.”

             
“That’s wonderful, Kent,” Roni broke free and did a little happy dance around the room. “You said, “Yes”, right?”

             
“I did,” Kent admitted. “I think I can be happy here, and you’re here, so as long as you think this is somewhere that you would like to stay, then I think it would be good for us to have a solid home.”

             
“I like it here,” Roni said with a smile. “I’m so happy for you!”

             
She ran back to him and gave him a hug. He put his cheek on the top of her head and asked, “Is she okay, Roni?”

             
Roni was about to answer when the doorbell rang once, then the door opened and Rich walked in.

             
“Ugh,” Roni groaned when she saw him.

             
“Nice to see you too, Sunshine,” Rich said with a grin and a wink as he walked in. “What’s up, Man?”

             
Kent walked over and gave Rich a slap on the back, then paused when Colin walked in behind him.

             
“I hope you don’t mind, I asked Colin to come with me.” Rich explained. “He called to say he was in town, and there’s something I want to talk to the both of you about.”

             
“No problem,” Kent said, then walked over and held his hand out to Colin. “How’s it going, Colin? How’s Austin?”

             
Colin shook Kent’s hand and said with a smile, “It’s great, Man. Nice house.”

             
“Thanks.”

             
“Hey, Colin,” Roni greeted her friend’s tall good-looking boyfriend. “So, if you’re here, does that mean Bree is too?”

             
“Hi, Roni,” Colin responded with a flash of his dimples. “Good to see you again. Yeah, Bree was actually headed over to your apartment to see you and Nic. I think Kara’s meeting her over there too.”

             
“Awesome,” Roni said as she turned to her brother. “You’re off the hook for now, but you’d better come to your senses soon. I’ll see you later. Bye, Colin. Rich,” She said dryly when Rich winked at her.

             
“Your sister really likes me,” Rich grinned at her retreating back, then laughed out loud as she flipped him off before closing the door behind her.

             
“How long are you both here for?” Kent asked as he walked into the kitchen. “You want a beer?”

             
They nodded, then followed Kent out onto his back deck and sat down to catch up.

             
“’Til Sunday after Halloween,” Colin answered first.

             
“Yeah, me too,” Rich replied. “But I’ll graduate in December and be back for good. I’m so ready to be done with school.”

             
“What are your plans when you get back?” Kent asked the slightly younger man.

             
Rich set his beer down and looked at the two of them, his hazel eyes flashing with excitement.