Page 74 of The Secrets We Treasure

She pulled her hands away from his and wiped her tears with her palms. “Waylon? What does he have to do with anything?”

“I talked to Samuel Bradshaw.”

“Waylon’s son?”

He nodded.

“He believes that Laci changed Waylon’s will.”

She bunched her brows. “That’s absurd!”

“Waylon told Samuel that if anything ever happened to him, he and Megan would get the house. And then Laci ended up with it. Think about it, Treasure. Laci marries a man who’s twenty-five years older than her. He dies under suspicious circumstances and leaves her the bulk of his estate. Don’t you find that odd?”

“Laci was crazy about Waylon. Furthermore, she was out of town when Waylon died.” Treasure was drowning in a sea of indecision.

“Are you sure about that?”

“About her being out of town?”

“No, about her being crazy about Waylon.”

“Yes,” she said emphatically.

His eyes sparked with a rigid checkmate look. “Samuel said that Laci was having an affair with her kickboxing instructor.”

An incredulous laugh riddled her throat. “And you just took Samuel’s word? Have you asked Laci any of this?”

“No.” He rubbed his neck. “I probably should have. I just don’t know that I would believe anything she would tell me.”

Her voice grew shrill. “Are you listening to yourself? This is Laci we’re talking about!”

“I know. Like I said, I care about Laci. I really do. The three of us go way back.” His eyes bore into hers. “But you … you’re my everything.”

She shook her head, a deep weariness overtaking her. “You’re wrong about Laci,” she insisted. “You, of all people, should recognize the danger of believing vicious rumors.”

“That’s not fair,” he countered, his Adam’s apple zipping up and down his neck as he swallowed.

It was at that moment that something inside of Treasure snapped. She thrust out her chin. “You know what? There’s no time like the present. Let’s go in there right now and clear the air.”

He paused for half a second, considering her words. “Okay, let’s do it.” His eyes took on a determined glint. “All of those things Laci said about you have stuck in my craw. It’ll be good to get everything out in the open.”

The air around Treasure contracted and expanded in a hard punch that nearly stole her breath. She’d unburdened her soul to Laci. Told Laci her deepest, darkest secret. If they tromped in and demanded answers from Laci, Treasure’s treachery was bound to come out. The time for pretense was over. Time to face the music … or firing squad. She sucked in a breath. “There’s something you need to know. Something I’ve needed to tell you for a very long time.”

Wariness crept over his features like shadows obscuring the sun. “What?”

She searched his face, hoping against hope that he would be able to find it in his heart to forgive her. “I had wanted to talk to your mom first before telling you, but I can no longer wait.”

He frowned. “What about my mom?”

She moistened her lips as she reached for his hand.

“You’re cold as ice and shaking. T, what’s wrong?”

This was so hard … one of the hardest things she’d ever done. She wanted to run until she collapsed and then bury herself in a deep, dark hole. Anything to cover up her regret. “Remember when we told your mom and dad that we wanted to get married?”

“Yeah,” he said hesitantly.

“Well—”

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