Page 29 of Exposed

Matt looked like he wanted to reach out for me, but I held up my hand.

I wanted the comfort of his touch. And I didn’t at the same time. I just needed to get this out. “The bomb was inmycar. And I don’t trust my father, but I also don’t know if he’d ever kill me. Steal a kidney? Try to ruin my life? Sure. But murder me?” I started blinking faster. “The bomb was in my car and we woke up late. I was blocking Miller’s truck in in the driveway. He was just moving my car and…” I’d already said the rest.

Matt opened his mouth and then closed it again.

“It should have been me,” I said.It should have been me. It should have been me.

This time when Matt pulled me into his arms, I didn’t stop him.

“No,” he whispered into my hair. He ran his hand up and down my back. “No.”

“It’s all my fault…”

“No,” he said more firmly. “That doesn’t help. Do you have any idea how much I’d wished I’d died instead of you? Wanting that doesn’t help anything. Don’t think that. You’re supposed to be here. You’re supposed to be alive, Brooklyn. You’re supposed to be right here, right now.” He grabbed both sides of my face so I’d look up at him.

Is that what he thought? That I was supposed to be here with him? Because that’s not how my heart really felt. I was supposed to be back at the lake house with Miller right now.

But I couldn’t have that.

Matt wiped away my tears with his thumbs.

Miller was gone. But I’d never be able to accept that it shouldn’t have been me that died in that car.

Matt wiped away my tears again, before letting his hands fall from my face. “Brooklyn, I don’t know if it was your dad behind it. But I do think I know who might have done it. Poppy. She was just telling me the other day that she loves car bombs…”

“I spoke to Poppy too. She said that we’re family. That she’d never hurt me. Her story aligned perfectly with my father’s. She mentioned loving car bombs and that she used one to get revenge for what happened to Miller. The rival family thing. Like my father said. She blew up…it begins with an L I think?”

Matt nodded. “A Locatelli. Yeah. That’s true. I was trying to dig up dirt against Poppy to get out of this mess I’m in. And a friend got me the police report about that. She wasn’t a suspect or anything. But my friend was able to actually get a picture of her placing the bomb under the car. I can do some digging too, if you want. To see what I can find out.”

“Tanner is already looking into it. I like him. He’s really nice.”

“Yeah, he’s a good guy. And he’s probably who I would have asked to do the digging anyway.”

I nodded. “Do you believe Poppy?”

“She’s manipulative. When I first met her, she didn’t seem quite as bad as Isabella. But I’m not sure anymore.” He shook his head. “Honestly, I think she kind of lost it when you came back to town. She’s hellbent on taking over for Mr. Pruitt.”

“Yeah, I think my dad expected me to take over when I came back. But I shut that down right away. And I know it’s not fair to judge her…just because she looks like Isabella doesn’t mean she’s like Isabella. But I don’t believe her when she says she’d never hurt me. Because she sure wanted to rub her relationship with you in my face.”

“There is no relationship.”

“I know.” I bit my lip as I looked up at him. “I’m just worried.”

“I’m not going to let anyone ever hurt you again, Brooklyn.”

I stared at him. I wasn’t really worried about me. I was worried about my son. Specifically, if something happened to me…would he be forced to live with my father just like I had? I didn’t want my father to ruin Jacob’s life. My will was iron clad. But I’m sure my uncle thought his was too.

“So that’s what you wanted to talk about?” Matt asked. “Because I’m not worried about your dad. Or Poppy. I’ll deal with them. Honestly, I was planning on seeing your dad today anyway to get this Poppy thing dealt with.”

“I mean, yes, I don’t want to put you in danger. But that wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about.” I looked back out at the water. I had believed that I’d stopped loving Matt. I didn’t think that was true anymore. I think I just let my love for Miller grow stronger. And if I still loved Matt when I loved Miller? I could still love Miller even though I loved Matt. It didn’t have to be either or. “I think I’m still in love with you.”

Chapter 13

Sunday

Matt

She said it back. But I never expected her to look so sad when she said it. She loved me yet…she hated that she loved me. And I didn’t know what to say.

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