Page 7 of Forgotten Desires

“It wasn’t even hard to fall for him,” I explain. “It was as though I conjured the perfect man and there was Crew. He was funny, sweet, talked to me about his fears and worries like we had endless time before us. I thought we’d at least try, not that he’d disappear in the middle of the night.”

Phoebe gives me a soft smile. “He’s here though. He had to know who you were.”

“How? He knows Rowan Whitlock, but it’s not like he knew he was my brother.”

“Maybe not, but hiding in here isn’t going to get your answers. I’m not exactly the authority on men, but I don’t know many guys who come to weddings for their business contractors, you know? I kind of think he had another reason to come to Sugarloaf.”

A flicker of hope starts to ignite, but I snuff it out quickly. If he does have another reason, I’m going to find out, and then I’m going to guard my heart.

two

CARSON

I’m torn between going to find her and leaving. I shouldn’t have come. When I got the invite, I told my assistant to decline, but somehow, it slipped through the cracks and she forgot. Then, a few days ago, I had a meeting with Rowan about the increase in goods we’d like to move toward, and he mentioned the wedding, how he hoped I could make it. Then he said his sister, Brynlee, was driving him and Charlotte nuts.

The second I heard the name everything changed.

I knew I had to see her.

It’s crazy, since it’s been ten years and I wasn’t exactly what you’d call a good guy the way I disappeared, but time has passed and she’s never left my thoughts.

Not ever.

Not even when I married my ex-wife Jacqueline.

Our marriage wasn’t exactly born of love, it was arranged through our families. A merging of assets. One where children of wealthy families have an understanding of what’s expected and we were pawns who fell in line.

It was utter bullshit. The only good thing that came from that marriage was my daughter, Layla.

Fuck it. I should go. This was stupid.

As I move to stand, the DJ starts playing music and Charlotte and Rowan take the floor. Then, as if time never passed and we’d been connected all along, I feel her presence.

She pulls the chair out and sits beside me, her eyes just a little puffy and my heart aches at that.

“Brynn . . .”

“Crew, or should I call you Carson?”

I deserve the icy tone in her voice. Ten years ago, I was a fucking idiot. I was twenty-two, had a family breathing down my neck to prepare for my upcoming life, and then my life was flipped on its side because of Brynlee Whitlock.

“Crew is what my friends and family call me.”

She nods. “So you just lied about your name?”

I sit up straight, hating the mistakes I made back then. Everything we shared for that week was real, other than my name. That was the only lie I told. However, I doubt she’ll believe me. Not that I blame her.

“That was truly the only lie I told. Everything else was the truth. Probably more of the truth than I ever told anyone,” I admit. “It kind of happened and then I couldn’t walk it back. I’m sorry.”

She exhales, clasps her hands in her lap and looks at me. Those big brown eyes are exactly like I remember. “All these years, Crew. All this time, and you appear now?”

“I wish I could explain it.”

“Try.”

Okay. I can do that. “Do you want to know why I left that night or why I’m here now?”

Brynn shakes her head with a small smile. “I guess both, but let’s start with why you’re here now.”

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