Page 17 of Finally Home

She gasped. “I never said that.” That didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about it once or twice. She’d been young, and Aspen was all she’d ever known. There’d never been the urge to abandon the place she’d grown up in. The “get out of Dodge” feeling everyone who grew up here felt at one point or another. This was her home.

“You did.” He sneered, mocking her, and stepped away toward the cabin. His voice dropped low. “You were drunker than a skunk, but you know what they say. Drunk words are sober thoughts.”

Fuck.Had she said that? She racked her brain, trying to recall the words. Panic bubbled in her chest. There was one night. One stupid night after he’d shared his plan to leave. She’d gotten drunk with her best friends, and they’d called West to pick her up. Anger and desperation fueled her need to forget his plans, if only for the night, and in doing so she must have voiced her petty thoughts. She’d led him to believe she wouldn’t follow him. Sealed his plans to leave her. She didn’t remember ever voicing those words. They were exactly how she felt at the time, but, ultimately, she would have followed West to the ends of the earth. If he had simply asked.

“I was drunk, West. Heartbroken that you were considering leaving Aspen. You never asked me to go with you, jackass. Did I like the idea of leaving my family? My home? No. But would I have done it for you? Every fucking time. You. Didn’t. Ask.”

“You’re right. I didn’t. I couldn’t handle you saying no. It didn’t matter anyway. I met Tiff at school, and then fucking life happened. You have no idea how much I wish I could say it was the biggest mistake of my life.”

“It wasn’t?” She took a shallow inhale, trying to steady herself. These half-assed answers were beginning to annoy her. She struggled between wanting to smack him and shake him while pleading for him to explain everything.

“Not even close.” He wouldn’t meet her gaze, a classic West sign that she was too close to whatever it was he didn’t want to share.

“Care to elaborate on that?” She sidestepped into his line of sight.

“Nope.”

“So that’s all I get? Life happened and you enjoyed it. I think there’s more to the story. You said it wasn’t supposed to be her. What does that mean?”

“It wasn’t. But life did happen, and it was her. I have nothing left. I’m sorry if that hurts your fucking feelings, Cami.”

Her jaw clenched as she stared straight into his eyes. “Get fucked, West.”

“You offering?” He cocked a brow.

“I fucking hate you.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “No, you don’t. But you want to. And honestly it’s probably better for you if I walk away and let you.”

The sadness in his voice surprised her. She knew there was more to the story. Her West was in there, along with this new man she was trying to understand. “What happened to you, West?”

“Don’t pretend like you care now, Cami. Not after you chose your family and yourself over me. Not after you asked everyone to keep you out of the loop on my life.”

“Communication is a two-way street, West. I didn’t see you checking on me the last fifteen years.”

“That’s a load of bullshit. You may not know, but I asked about you every time I talked to my mom. I nearly flew back here the year you wrecked your Jeep, to make sure you were okay. I put a hole in a wall when Mom said Johnny was going to propose to you. Then thanked God above when I found out you said no. For years I asked about you. For years I watched from afar, knowing I had no right to you. So stop trying to put this all on me, Cami. If you knew half the hell I’ve been through—”

“Then tell me, West.” Desperation filled her voice. “Tell me, damn it. We each have our faults to bear, but we’re here now, and nothing is in the way except the past.”

“Cami ...” His voice trailed off, but she didn’t need him to say another word to know he wasn’t going to let her in.

“Fine.” Cami turned from him and sighed, unable to face him as she spoke her next words. “Then find a way off this mountain. I can’t be stuck with you. Maybe your mom can find someone who will snowmobile up here and get you. I don’t want you here. This time I get to walk away from you. See if you like how it feels.”

And she did. For the first time she took the first step away from West. Even though it fucking hurt and she wished with everything she had in her that he would stop her.

CHAPTERSEVEN

CAMI

With every step, the lump in the base of her throat grew, making it harder to breathe.

One foot in front of the other.

If he could walk away, so could she.

Cami inhaled through her nose and forced the breath back out slowly. She didn’t need to have a panic attack in front of him. No, she needed to be strong. Stand her ground.

West growled behind her, the sound shaking her core. “No fucking way.”

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