Page 68 of The Summer Inn on Plum Island
Ben ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration and despair. He turned toward her, his eyes so full of pain and suffering that Dawn sucked in a breath as she could all but feel his heartache.
“In an instant, all my dreams were dashed—replaced by the stark reality of prison walls and a jumpsuit brighter than any future I could’ve hoped for. I was caged, Dawn, trapped in a nightmare of lies and betrayal.” Ben’s voice was hoarse with emotion.
Dawn swallowed, and her eyes misted with tears.What do I say to that? Sorry? Sorry I was one of the people rooting for you to go to jail?“I’m so sorry, Ben.” She swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Let’s drop this subject,” Ben told her. “Why don’t we talk about you?”
“I heard you got engaged to Brad Danes?” His eyes widened in disbelief. “Wade was appalled by that, just by the way. I think we all were.”
Dawn laughed. “I think Brad and I were both just in a weird place in our lives,” Dawn explained. “We thought we made sense at the time, but I think we both knew it was a big mistake a week after the engagement.”
“But you stayed engaged,” Ben pointed out.
“I know, that was more family peer pressure,” Dawn told him with a snort. “Then it all came crashing down in flames and public humiliation that finally ended it.”
“Ouch!” Ben sucked in a breath. “I heard about that too.”
“Good to know my public humiliation made it to the prison inmates,” Dawn said.
“I actually made money from your engagement,” Ben joked.
“I’m glad you profited from it.” Dawn rolled her eyes.
“Nice right hook, by the way,” Ben said, and Dawn instinctively looked at her hand.
“I broke my fingers punching Brad,” Dawn confessed.
“Worth it, though, huh?” Ben grinned.
“Yeah, I have to admit I got some satisfaction out of it,” Dawn admitted with a laugh. “But Brad was better than my next romantic entanglement.”
“Greg Albright the third!” Brad gave her awhat were you thinkinglook. “You know who his halfbrother is, right?”
“I do,” Dawn said with a nod. “But he and Arno don’t speak or even hang out in the same circles.”
“That’s because Greg took over Greg Albright the second’s investment banking firm,” Ben pointed out. “And Mr.I always have to be better than everyoneArno Littleford, with no number after his name, was always so jealous and hated living in his older halfbrother’s shadow.”
“Greg wouldn’t even go to his mother’s birthday parties,” Dawn shook her head. “Do you know how awkward that was because, of course, my family had to attend the Littlefords’ events?” She blew out a breath.
“Weneverwent to the Littlefords’ events.“ Ben laughed. “My mother just flatly refused.”
“Can’t say I blame her.” Dawn shuddered. “They always had to go over the top with everything.”
“New money, my mother would always say,” Ben said. “They always had to prove themselves.”
“Steve Littleford was and still is an excellent actor,” Dawn pointed out. “Pity his son didn’t fully follow in his father’s footsteps.”
“So what happened with Greg?” Ben asked. “Wade said he didn’t really know. Just that you broke off with him and wouldn’t talk about it.”
“Oh, you know,” Dawn said and found herself telling Ben something she’d never told anyone. Well, besides the police and the judge who helped her very discreetly. “The old story of a man and woman who start dating, the man becomes overly obsessed and possessive, so the woman breaks it off, gets stalked, and has to file a restraining order.”
“What?” Ben’s face dropped. “So the rumors about Greg were true? In college, he apparently did the same thing somewhere there,” Ben told her. “But it was swept under the rug, and it was turned around to seem like it had been her.”
“Figures,” Dawn said, shuddering. “He was evil wrapped in a handsome, charming package.” She gave him a tight smile. “It was your mother that helped me get the restraining order.”
“Way to go, Mom,” Ben said. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Dawn.”
“Please don’t say anything to my brothers or anyone really,” Dawn asked. “Not even my friends know what happened. You’re actually the first one I’ve told.”
