Page 39 of When You Were Mine

Fine, but there was zero possibility he’d walk away from this opportunity to be with his heart. “How are you?” The question landed lamely, as it should have.

She gave him a dull look. “If I answer, will you leave?”

“Probably not.”

“Look, I don’t know what you want from me. We’ve been apart more than twice as long as we were together. There’s nothing left between us.”

“There sure as hell is. At least for me.” He reached for her but lowered his arms when she recoiled. “Elz, there’s not a day that goes by that I—”Shit. Fuck. Again, it wasn’t fair to Darby to confess these feelings to his ex.

“That you what? Don’t regret the choice you made to abandon me forty-three minutes after we got married? After that neat speech you gave about me being your inspiration, your motivation, the love of your life? You took the money I needed for my sister, and you never looked back.”

Shame hit him square in the chest. “That’s not fair. You know I came back for you. And I tried getting a job, but the director told me it was a violation of my contract.” By the time he’d scraped up the money and sent it to her, it was far too late. Her niece was eighteen months old by then.

“I don’t care. I really don’t.” She lifted both hands in surrender. “I handled it. And you know what? I’m so glad I did because my sisters have turned into wonderful women. They’re married, they’re moms, and we all work together. I like the way my life turned out. And clearly, you’re living your best life. So, what else is there to say?”

“I’m glad things turned out well. But we’re here, Elz. We’re right here, together.”

“So? Did you think we’d reminisce? Pull out the scrapbook and laugh about old times? Well, guess what? I don’t have time for that. Besides, your life’s been well documented in the media.”

“That’s not my life?—”

She held up a hand. “I don’t care. I’m here for work, that’s it.” And then, she tipped her head. “Oh, okay. I get what’s really going on here. You want me to say the magic words to release you from the pesky guilt that keeps rearing up when an image of me alone in that motel room drops into your mind.”

“You’re right.” She’d nailed it. He did live with that exact image. “I do have guilt. And that memory comes up a lot. But that has nothing to do with why I’m happy to see you. Because Elzy, I haveneverforgotten you. I’ve thought about you every day for thirty years.”

“Were you thinking about me when your son was borntwo yearsafter we eloped? How about when you proposed to Darby? Or were those just the two moments in your life when you forgot about the high school girlfriend youmarriedand then walked out on?” She pressed a hand to her forehead. She let out a frustrated breath. “Listen to me. I sound so bitter. Well, look, I don’t hold you accountable for something you did when you were just a kid. And let me assure you, I have a great life, and everything worked out the way it should. Okay? Are we good now?”

Once, they’d been filming along the River Spey. It was an action scene. He was charging after the clansman who’d run off with stolen booty, but it had been raining heavily, and he’d sunk into the mud. There was a moment of panic when he couldn’t move. He was trapped, and everyone was relying on him—cameras were rolling—actors were running—and he couldn’t lift his feet.

That’s what this feels like. She stood there, fiery, explosively angry, expecting a response from him, but he was stuck, and he couldn’t get his brain to function well enough to answer.

Because for the first time, he was hearing it from her perspective, and she was right.

But she didn’t know the whole truth. How could she?

Tell her. Talk to her.

He had the chance to clear things up, but his brain was sluggish, and he couldn’t kick it into gear, so he said the only thing that came to mind. “There has never been anything better in my life than you.”

“Except the woman you slept with a few months after you got to Scotland?” She waved a hand dismissively. “Forget it. This conversation’s going nowhere. We were kids, living some kind of Bonnie and Clyde fantasy. It was a lifetime ago.”

“It doesn’t feel like it. It feels like it was yesterday.”

“Well,today, your fiancée is waiting for you, so you really shouldn’t be in another woman’s room.”

But you’re not another woman.

You’re the only woman.

He couldn’t say any of that, though. Not until he ended things with Darby.

And yet…

Now that she’s back in my life, I can’t walk away. I can’t be anywhere in this world except with her.

“Why are you just standing there? Go.” Her tone turned imploring. “God, Trevor. What do you want from me?”

Everything. From this day forward, I want everything with you.“I handled this all wrong, and I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

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