Page 79 of Heart & Hope

“What the fuck?” He pushes to his feet, running a hand through his hair.

I drop the phone on the bed and walk from the room. Padding down the stairs, I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. How could I be so stupid? Lying never works. I’m not good at it. This was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.

I wander to the porch and sink into the swing seat. The breeze is cool tonight, and I wrap the tartan blanket around my shoulders, tucking my feet under myself. I need to figure out a way to make this go away, or at least a reasonable explanation that doesn’t end with my fake marriage being blown.

Being taken off the inn’s account means no more trips to Montana. No more visits to R & R Ranch. No more Reed. And, worst-case scenario, I lose my job for unprofessional conduct. The job I have spent the last ten years working my tail off at to build up my career. My reputation.

This couldn’t be any worse.

The floor creaks by the door, and I turn toward the front door. Reed stands in the doorway, hands gripping the frame above his head. The t-shirt he’s wearing slides up a little. His green eyes are narrowed with worry. With a sigh, I close my eyes and dip my head. Everything is too much. I’m tired.

And for the first time in my life, the things I am supposed to want—the career, the status, and the money—are at war with the things I need. The seat sways and dips. I open my eyes, and Reed is sitting beside me. Arms open, inviting me into his space, he tilts his head with a sad smile. “Come here.”

I slide closer and lean into his embrace. His arms wrap around me, his warmth cocooning me with something so grounding and absolutely necessary, I almost forget the last tenminutes. He rests his chin on my head. His heartbeat drums into my cheek.

“I could say we met in the city, and it was love at first sight and we went to the chapel the next day?” he offers, his voice raspy.

I huff a laugh. “Who falls in love with someone the first time they see them?”

“I have.”

I push out of his hold and study his face. “Really?”

I don’t know if I’m surprised that he has been in love before or gutted that it wasn’t me.

“Yeah, really.” His eyes are fixed on mine, his breaths leaving with every plummeting wave of his chest. She must have broken his heart by the way he is reacting while talking about this.

I hate her already.

I run my thumb over his jaw, and it flexes at my touch. “Her loss, baby.”

A small, crooked smile hangs on the corner of his mouth. “Maybe.”

“Reed, promise me something. When I go back?—”

“Anything you want, Rubes.”

“If—I mean, when you find someone again. Make sure they know who youreallyare. That they love you for you. Promise me that.”

I think he’s stopped breathing.

“Reed?”

He swallows and gives me a shallow nod.

“Good,” I whisper, resting my palm over his heart. “You deserve the woman who makes you feel it’s okay to be yourself. Don’t hide this.”

His mouth opens, his eyes crinkled with emotion, and he slams it shut again.

I dot a kiss to his cheek and rise from the seat. “I’ll fix the Starr problem. You concentrate on building your ranch.”

After all, the Robbins family has had their fair share of gold diggers before this. I know how to handle it. We have a lawyer on speed dial from the last time some ingrate tried to screw us over. Starr is about to take a plummet from the heavens and into the earth’s scorching fucking atmosphere.

After sending through a rough explanation to the lawyer along with forwarding the text and photo to him, I step into the bathroom and peel off the day’s clothes as if peeling away the scandal of the last hour. When steam fills the room, I slip into the hot water, letting it scald the stress and annoyance over this whole fake marriage debacle from my bones.

It would be a lot easier if I was married to Reed. Less chance of being sacked and losing my career. But I wouldn’t do that to him. It’s not fair. Plus, who knows, one day I might meet some Wall Street banker who sweeps me off my feet.

I still as horror creeps through my veins at the thought of someone other than Reed “sweeping me off my feet.” And when the realization hits, I slide down the tiles and slump onto the shower floor.

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