Page 57 of Comeback
She deflated in the passenger seat. “Sorry. You’re right. I’m just thinking out loud. I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“Hell.” I blew out another hot breath of air. “I’m the one that should be sorry. I hate talking about this crap. I get all testy.”
I could sense a tension in the air, and I knew I’d spoiled the mood. I was sure she wanted to be alone now.
“And now I ruined what started off as a great day,” I said.
“You didn’t ruin it,” she said. “Itwasa great day, Jack. I had fun. I know Mackenzie did, too.”
“I’m just sorry it had to end like that,” I said.
“Don’t be.” She put her hand on my leg. “I know it’s not easy to talk about. But thank you for telling me all that, Jack. I can’t tell you how much it helps me understand you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said, waving my hand dismissively.
“No, Jack. Seriously. That’sexactlythe kind of thing I need to know about you moving forward if you want to be in my life, and Mackenzie’s life. I don’t want you to clam up—I need to know who you really are, deep down.”
“Sorry. You’re right.”
We both turned to look at Mackenzie. She was fast asleep in her child seat.
“Well,” Emma began as she unbuckled her seat belt, “I better get her inside.”
“Wait.” I grabbed her arm and stopped her. “Emma.”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t wanna go back to my house.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dane and Reavo are waiting for me. I’ve got nothing to say to those guys. I don’t wanna go back.”
“So … what do you want to do?” she asked, confusion coloring her voice.
“The same thing you were ready to do earlier.” I took her hand in mine. “Believe me, I know you think it’s too soon to ask. And I know you’ve already told me no. But seriously, just think about it for a second. We can gowhereveryou want—you know I’ve got the money. And trust me, I’ve still got plenty left over from my playing days. You won’t have to work. Mackenzie will be taken care of. I’m a good guy, Emma. I won’t do you wrong.”
Her face soured like she’d just taken a bite out of a lemon. “Jack … you can’t do this again …”
“Why not?”
“Because! I told you, I needtime.”
I frowned. “Yeah, but I don’t know how much time we have left. I can’t stick around Bayfield for long, Emma.”
“What?” Her eyes turned suspicious. “How long are we talking about?”
“I wanna leave as soon as I can,” I admitted. “Tonight, if we can.”
“Tonight?” She guffawed. “Really? Seriously? Just like that, you’re going to leave?”
“The team knows where I live now, Emma. It’s only a matter of time before the press shows up next, and I’d rather avoid that circus.”
“Thepressis looking for you, too?” She laughed. “Great. Just great. So what are you going to do? Uproot your entire life every time the world manages to find you?”
“Well, hopefully it won’t happen again. I’ll get better at laying low. They’ll lose interest in me soon, anyway.”
“No, Jack. No.”
