Too Late for Regret (Annalise and Roger) novel Chapter 159

Seth’s POV

Laney has gone silent. I was trying to give her a hint, but she ignored it. She’s not even speaking to me anymore, so I turned on the radio. I’ve caught her looking at me at work. Hell, she just checked me out now. I am kicking myself for even looking at those two women at work. I’ve heard the rumors circulating around work. They’re each repeating what the other one said.

I took them out to try to make Laney jealous; that was it. I only took Sheila out to drive the point home to Angie that I was done. She refused to accept the fact that I didn’t like or want her. Sheila and I had one date, and she was acting the same way. They both believed that they were about to become Mrs. Seth Caldwell. Acting like I wanted to marry them. I’d heard the rumors flying around the company. They were very flattering towards me, so I saw no reason to stop them.

Honestly, I didn’t want to speak to either of them again to ask them to stop. I told my father the truth about the matter. I knew better than to sleep with subordinates. I had my own company, and I hadn’t slept with any of them. I knew better than to do that. I had former girlfriends who were available if I wanted to have company. But for the last five months, I’ve avoided any entanglements. I didn’t want to look bad in front of Laney. Who knew Angie and Sheila would still be going strong after all this time?

Even if everyone thought I was clueless, I wasn’t. This wasn’t my first time dealing with women who refused to stop trying to come after me. They flirted, and Laney completely ignored me. The first date, I agreed to just to piss her off. Laney had been seated at the next table. She heard Angie ask me out. If Laney had even looked my way, I would have shot Angie down, but she didn’t. She just kept talking to that guy, whom I thought she was dating. I was mad because Laney refused to admit she was interested in me.

At the next light, I turned the radio off and turned to look at Laney. I knew that if I didn’t tell Laney the truth tonight, things would only get worse. There is even more distance between us now. I can’t let her slip through my fingers. Not when I wanted to see where this could go. She’s different. Special, and I wanted to get to know her better.

“Laney, I only agreed to go out with Angie because I was trying to make you jealous. I don’t have any interest in either of them. I just accepted the date because I wanted you to tell me not to go out with her. I went out once with Sheila to try to shake Angie off. I was jealous of you eating lunch with the same guy every day. I wanted you to have lunch with me. I want to know exactly what about me offends you? You’ve been hostile towards me since the day I started training. Why aren’t you willing to give me a chance? I know you find me attractive, so what’s holding you back?” I growled out in frustration.

“What’s holding me back? You slept with two of my colleagues, Seth. It’s bad enough hearing about your exploits at work. Everyone keeps asking me if I’ve slept with you, too. I already know what’s going to happen in the next few days. People will assume I slept with you to get my promotion. I’m just trying to do my job, Seth. It’s bad enough that Angie and Sheila can’t seem to stop singing your praises. All the hard work that I’ve done over the years will be ignored. All because they’ll assume I earned the promotion on my back,” Laney snapped back at me.

She’s angry, and I see why now. She’s right. They will all assume she had slept with me to get her new position. They know she’s talented, but people love to gossip. It will spread like wildfire unless I put a stop to it. Dad might actually have to step in and make a formal announcement. I will have to make sure he emphasizes that she earned the opportunity through her impressive skills. That should help the rumor mill from gaining traction.

The fact that we will be working so closely together and her new appearance will only encourage the ringleaders. I need to make things very clear for Laney before I drop her off. I know for a fact that if I don’t explain everything to her, she’s going to freeze me out. I pulled over into the bank parking lot at the corner.

“Why did you stop?” Laney asked. She was cautious, but not panicked. She looked ready to lay into me again.

“I wanted to talk to you privately, as once we arrive, there will be too many people around. I want you to know that I didn’t sleep with either of them, Laney. They’re lying to you and everyone else. They are annoying and superficial. I can’t talk to them like I can talk to you, and I’m not interested in them. I’m interested in you,” I told her. I watched her staring at me in the low light. She was trying to see if I was lying to her, but half my face was in shadow.

“It’s your life, Seth, you can do what you want, you don’t answer to me. I just don’t want to lose this opportunity that I worked so hard for. That was all I was trying to say earlier. We need to get moving now,” she said nervously, before looking away and staring out the windshield.

She was sure that I was just toying with her and hadn’t listened to a word I’ve said. I’m just going to have to show her that I wanted her, that I know her value. I need her to realize that I see her. Not because I think I can use her and leave her. I need her to lower her guard and let me in. Then she’ll be able to see that I truly like her. I just need her to give me a chance.

I wanted to kiss her, to show her what she did to me, but I knew now was not the time. I was going to have to show her that I was interested in her. I wanted to get to know her better each day, not because I wanted to sleep with her, but because I liked her. I was going to have to get some help. If Ana was this invested, I’m sure Mom was backing Laney, too.

“Laney, just give me a chance to be your friend. Don’t let the tabloids give you the wrong idea. I haven’t slept with every woman I’ve gone out with. I need to have something in common with someone I’m interested in. I’m more selective than I was when I was younger. I’m thirty–one, and despite what you think, I would like to have a wife and children. I adore Liam, and I’d love to have my own children to spoil. We’re more similar than you think,” I told her.

“I’ll think about it, Seth,” she finally said. “Can we go now?”

I pulled back out, headed in the direction that we’d been going. She was lying. She only said it to get us moving again. She wasn’t going to give me an actual chance, but I’m not giving up. Her being so dismissive of what I said only makes me want to dig in and prove her wrong. She thinks that I don’t realize she is placating me. Looks like I just need to be consistent and show up.

I’m not giving up on her. I don’t care how long it takes; Laney will be mine one day.