Page 50 of Falling for the Wrong Guy

“It was an easy mistake,” I said.

She shook her head. “I jumped to wild conclusions, and I’m sorry.” Her eyes were glassy as she turned back to me. “How can I trust you?” she blurted.

I stared at her, trying to memorize everything about her because I knew this was it. I was going to walk out of here, and that would be the end of it. “I can’t expect you to. But I haven’t lied to you once.”

“I still can’t do this. I can’t lose my head. I’ve got a business to run.”

“Thought I was helping you do that.”

She rubbed her forehead and looked even more pained than when we first walked in. “You were, but I can’t lose my head.”

“You’ve said that. And why the hell not? I’m ready to do just that—to go forward, jumping with both feet, head spinning all the way. I think we’ve got something?—”

“I was a mess yesterday afternoon after I saw you in Fairview. I can’t be that way. I have a?—”

“Business to run. Right.”

“I have my sisters to take care of.” She waved her arm, and I sensed that she was working hard to hold back tears. Something told me she was skilled at stopping tears—the older sister who could never show vulnerability in front of her younger sisters.

“I’ve met them, and they all seem like perfectly rational, well-rounded adults. Maybe you’re hanging on to the idea that they need you, but in reality, some of those big sister chains should have fallen away years ago. You’re keeping them there because?—”

“You don’t know anything! My grandmother made me promise—” She dropped her face into her hands. Her shoulders shook.

“And you did a great job. You fulfilled that promise, Aria. But maybe it’s time to let that responsibility go.”

She sniffled and wiped abruptly at her tears. “You’ve never had a real sibling relationship. You don’t know anything about it.” She rolled in her bottom lip as if she wished she could take back the words. I couldn’t hide that it felt as if I’d been punched in the stomach.

“It wasn’t from lack of trying, Aria. But you’re wrong. I do have a sibling. He just didn’t grow up in the same household. And you’re right. This isn’t the right time or place for either of us. I have to help Quinn and his family. Then I’ll leave Whisper Cove, just like Kellan predicted.”

“That’s for the best,” she said weakly as I headed to the exit. “Then all these dangerous looking people can leave, too.”

I stopped at the door. My heart was in shreds, and that gut-punch feeling hadn’t left, but her words hit me from behind with force. I spun back. “What dangerous looking people?”

She seemed surprised by my reaction. “I figured you knew they were here. Two men, one as big as you. After I saw you”—she paused—“I was upset. I went to the cottage to be with my sisters. We were making s’mores, and we saw a flashlight down on the beach. I thought it was you, so I walked down—I was going to confront you and tell you this was over—but it was a scary looking man with a scar and a leering gaze.”

Every muscle in my body tensed. “Did he touch you?” I could barely get the words out from between my clenched jaw.

My reaction scared her. I chastised myself for having such an instant, profound response to the notion that someone might have hurt Aria.

“I ran back to the house, and we waited inside until we saw them leave the beach.”

Trouble, it stuck to me like bees on honey. “I’m sorry about that. I’m going to take care of it right now.” Our gazes locked in that charged way that had been happening almost since the first time we met. “I hope you find a decent cook soon, and I promise to get out of town as soon as I settle things for Quinn.”

This time I left without looking back. My steps were heavy, and it felt as if I’d just left my last bit of luck back in that café. I was an idiot. I knew damn well that Aria was too good for me, out of my league, but I let myself believe it could happen, that we could be together. I had to put all that behind me. I needed to find those jerks on the motorcycles and chase them the hell out of town.

ChapterThirty-Two

Aria

Ihad so much to do, especially now that I’d sent my cook out the door, but I had to sit and collect myself. I felt trampled and broken, as if I’d been run down by a herd of cows. It was my fault for so quickly letting my feelings take off for Dex. It wasn’t like me, and now I was paying the price big time.

There was a knock on the door. My heart fluttered. “Dex,” I said in an excited whisper. My steps faltered when I saw it was Isla at the door. She noticed right away something was wrong and practically pushed the door into me in her hurry to get inside.

“I’ve only heard snippets from Ella, and seeing you, I realize I should have come sooner.” She handed me a box of baked goods and carried her bags of bread toward the kitchen. She looked back at me over her shoulder. “Did you let him go?”

“It’s for the best. Or at least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself. I had a rough night of sleep and an even more traumatic morning, and now I’ve got to cook too.” I sat down as the weight of it all landed right on top of me.

“You’re in luck. I’ve got the day free, so I’ll handle the kitchen, and you can do your magical thing in the front.” She leaned over and hugged me. I held onto her for a long time. “Ella told me he had a family, a wife and child.”

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