The Woman With An Ice Heart

Chapter Twenty-one

Valerie's POV

Seeing Max in so much pain that day made me realize how deep he'd crept into my heart, how his vines had wrapped themselves around it, making me not even think about anyone else besides him.

I was hopelessly in love with him.

His father's health very much improved over the weeks. He got discharged out of the hospital last week, and everyone was so happy. We went there to check up on him, and he was delighted to see me there. He said that Hannah had said a lot about me. We were now pretty close and we were happy.

I was shocked when he told me that he wanted to go to church with me this other weekend. I happily agreed and from then on, we'd been going together. I saw a huge change in him, and how he was slowly opening himself up to God. I knew that it was not easy for a person who didn't believe in anything to start believing in a being he'd never seen before. But we should have faith in Him, for he is there and he lives and loves us.

Link also came around every once in a while and they talked business in his study. They'd sit in there for hours. I sometimes brought them food and refreshments.

Just like today, I had made them glasses of orange juice and bowls of fruits. I slowly walked up to the room and I didn't want anything to fall since they could break if they did.

Just when I got to the door,it was slightly ajar, so I could hear what they were saying at the beginning of the hallway.

"You're one lucky guy, Max. And just to think this all began as a bet."

I heard him chuckle and I couldn't help but smile.

"I know, Link. Who could've known I'd have a girl from that?"

That made me stop right at the spot I was at. Girl?

"Well, consider that me being a good matchmaker. If I didn't invoke that competitive trait within you, Valerie wouldn't be here."

I was stunned. A bet? He got together with me because of a bet? I couldn't just stand there like a mannequin.

I set the food down and marched in there.

"A bet?"

Both men looked at me with faces of shock, but Max's had the expression of fear. So, it was true then. He stood up and quickly rushed to me and held my hand.

"I can explain, babe."

I quickly shook it off. The notion of him touching me right now was very appalling.

"Don't touch me. Don't you even dare think about doing such a thing right now."

I looked at him but he was looking at everything else in the room than me. That just hurt me so much, knowing that he didn't even like me all this time. It was all for a .......bet!

"I can't believe this, Max. How could you? Well, it does make sense now. You were a player and it seems like you still are. I'd actually f-"

"No, I'm no longer the man I was before. I have changed and I feel it. I know that I had a bet with my friends to be with you, but it's not like that anymore. I do care about you. I only want you to be in my future. I....... I love you."

His eyes had a stormy gaze, one that showed that a lot was going on in his mind.

I fell in love with a man who didn't want to be with me in the beginning of it all. What if his feelings for me weren't actually true? I couldn't beat the thought of being with a person who didn't' fully know where they stood.

"I need to leave. I need a place to think."

He vehemently shook his head.

"I can't let you leave. I feel like if I let you leave, I'm gonna lose you forever. That expression that you have doesn't show me that you're gonna think about it. You want to leave me, you wanna close yourself up again. I can't allow it. I know you."