Page 81 of Revival

“And you and I both know there are some ladies who wouldn’t be deterred.”

“Isn’t that the truth.”

“Speaking of single women, how are you doing?”

My eyes snap to Bree’s before darting away. “Nice segue,” I grumble, picking up my purple thermos. The coffee is still hot from this morning, buying me precious time with each delicious sip. “I’m good.”

“Cortney.”

“What?”

Bree moves briskly into my line of sight. “You haven’t said much to anyone in weeks. Your fiancé cheated on you, and you jet off on your prepaid honeymoon, coming home after an extended stay, sun-kissed and glowing, as if you didn’t just get your heart broken.”

“You know I love you, right?” I reply through a tight throat.

Her brows move together. “Yes,” she answers cautiously.

I bob my head. “Good. I just can’t tell you how thankful I am to have a family who checks on me out of concern and not out of a need to gossip. Except with each other of course.”

“So with that in mind, can you tell me how you really are? It almost feels as if you met someone on your trip.”

My eyes dart for the open door as if I might find a line of clients waiting to save me from divulging too much information.

“I really am fine. I went on vacation and extended my stay for a bit of soul-searching, and I found it.”

“Found what?”

Safety. Acceptance. Desire. Dare I say something even deeper?

Or so I thought.

I shrug and lick the rim of my mug before taking another drink. “Sebastian wasn’t right for me.”

Bree’s snort rings loud in the small room. “I’ll say. He was a downright stuck-up prick if you ask me.”

Hollowing my cheeks does nothing to suppress the smile breaking free. “He was that.” I lift my thermos to her in a salute.

“I honestly don’t know how you aren’t drowning yourself in baked goods. This festival is full of them,” Bree says. Her suggestion sets off a rumble in my stomach.

“Speaking of…” I glance at the door of my mobile vet clinic. “There’s a lull.”

“And?” Mischief sparkles in her brown eyes.

“One of those locally baked goods sounds good right about now.”

“Say no more.” Bree picks up her purse and moves swiftly out the door.

Needing some fresh air, I follow a few steps behind, exiting the converted RV and dodging the canvas canopy in order to soak in a little sunshine on my newly sun-kissed skin.

Someday soon, I’ll need to divulge the details of my honeymoon-that-wasn’t to my family, but I’m not ready. From day one, being the only girl meant I had five brothers who vowed to protect me. A job they took seriously even more so after Dad passed away.

Which is why I don’t want to tell them that I didn’t spend my Caribbean vacation drunk on a beach. I didn’t come close to spending it alone.

In fact, I spent it with the one man besides Sebastian they despise.

“Spencer Stone. It’s a damn hallucination to see you strolling through Fairview Valley. First time back since graduation?”

I resist the urgent need to turn around. Or flee. I shuffle and reorganize animal care pamphlets on the table.

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