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  They’d tried to get me to calm down and to think my actions through first, but I’d been adamant about what was going to happen. Liam had told me I was being a bastard, which very nearly earned him a black eye.

  Sitting on the bank of the river on our land, I watched the water turn from calm into the ferocious rapids that became even stronger as they headed towards the rickety bridge. I was trying to hold myself together. No matter how mad I was at Thalia, I just couldn’t get the shock on her face when I’d accused her of going behind my back, out of my head.

  She was either a very good liar or Lewis had lied, and it hadn’t been Thalia’s doing at all. God, I was so fucking screwed up.

  “I can’t decide whether to punch you or ignore you right now. There is no way Thalia did what you’re accusing her of.” Donovan walked closer to me and got right in my face. “Did you look at her when she told you to get out, and I mean really look at her? You, in the space of five minutes destroyed the best thing that ever happened to you.” He turned from me, sitting down about ten feet away glaring into the water. “You never even asked her about what Lewis said. You didn’t give her the chance to tell you she had nothing to do with it. You just accused her, and that was that. You’re an ass.”

  “You’re saying Lewis lied to us? Why would he tell us it was Thalia if it wasn’t? He had the information to use against me, he didn’t need to use Thalia’s name,” I questioned.

  Donovan sighed. “I don’t know. Liam said he felt there was more going on than what you all realized. Tell me honestly, do you really believe Thalia went behind your back?”

  “No… God I was a bastard. How could I do that to the woman I love?” I ran my hands through my hair, hoping to find inspiration. “I was so mad. I didn’t stop to think. I just acted. I’ve fucked up.”

  “I’d agree with that.”

  “What the hell am I going to do? She probably won’t even talk to me, and I wouldn’t blame her, after what I said to her.”

  “You need to go get on your knees and apologize. Be prepared to beg. My guess is, she won’t make it easy…Reece said Callie’s booked them both on a flight to Texas tonight.”

  I whipped my head around to look at him. “Tonight?” I whispered; so close to balling like a baby.

  Donovan just nodded his head.

  Standing, I ran my hands through my hair again and then over my face, swiping at the tears in my eyes before Donovan noticed. Although I thought it was probably too late for that.

  Donovan joined me as we started to walk back towards the house, both of us deep in thought. As we came out from the trees, I saw both Liam and Mia sitting on the porch steps wrapped around each other. That should have been Thalia and me.

  “Jack, you need to listen to what Mia has to say,” Liam informed me while trying to reassure her.

  I felt weary and wished I could turn back the clock before everything changed. “Go on.”

  “It was Rebecca who told my dad about your tattoos and Deception.” I met Liam’s eyes.

  He turned to Mia, “Carry on, babe.”

  “She was pissed that I’d told her I didn’t want her in the wedding, so she went and told my dad about you. Apparently she was outside Kix one night and saw you without your t-shirt with Thalia in your arms…I’m so sorry Jack. It’s all my fault,” Mia told me, then broke into tears.

  “It isn’t your fault, Mia. You’re not responsible for what your dad has done. He’s the one to blame, not you.”

  “You might think differently after I tell you why my dad is being like he is.”

  I looked at Liam wondering what the hell was going on.

  “Jack,” Mia said. “My father saw… Oh God this is embarrassing.”

  “What she’s trying to tell you is that her dad saw us that night. Three years ago. He saw us.” Liam looked really angry. “He said we were dressing when he spotted us through the trees…I don’t know how much truth is in that, but he figured out that it had been Mia’s first time. He said at first he was shocked, but then he accepted it because he’d seen how much I loved his daughter.” He pulled Mia even closer. “But all that changed when I disappeared and left his Mia all alone; heartbroken. Lewis said he’d been waiting to hurt me like I’d hurt his little girl. That’s why he kept hinting to Dad that it was you who Mia needed to marry, because he knew it would hurt me.”

  Liam hugged Mia tighter as though he was trying to make up for his mistake three years ago. “Knowing Mia would be married to my brother. He’s lost all reason… Ryder rang as well, and said he’d heard what had been threatened and not to worry, because it was all threat. He owns Kix outright and he has all the permits he needs to run the bar, and he hasn’t been in breach of any of them.”

  “My dad has created one hell of a mess because of what he saw between Liam and me…Jack, you need to go and talk to Thalia,” Mia told me, standing and taking my hand into hers. “I know she still loves you Jack, but you probably broke her heart going off like you did. You need to make this right with her.”

  I sighed. “I know. I’m going to head over to the inn. I’ll see you guys later.”

  I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t think it was going to be as easy as I hoped.

  Chapter 60

  Thalia

  I’d stayed standing at the window and watched Jack and everyone leave. They all believed that I’d betrayed them. The pain sliced through me and I felt shattered. Nothing had ever hurt as much. I loved him before, and I still loved him, but I felt as though he’d torn my heart out.

  Callie had called Reece on his cell and managed to get some of the story out of him. I knew I hadn’t been responsible for what happened, and couldn’t believe Jack believed what he’d been told. He never even bothered to ask me. Just presumed. That’s what broke my heart the most; what I couldn’t get out of my head. I hadn’t been thinking about what he’d accused me of, just the fact he hadn’t trusted me.

  Sitting at the window in Callie’s room, I just wanted to walk over to the bed, curl into a ball and cry my eyes out. My heart was shattered.

  Callie had made us both reservations on a flight to San Antonio, for later tonight. She’d told me that I needed some Texan hospitality to try and get over what had happened with Jack. The thing was I didn’t think it was going to be that easy to forget, because when I left I’d be leaving part of my heart behind.

  In the few weeks I’d know him and been with him, Jack had become an integral part of my life and I’d been looking forward to living with him when we returned to college after the summer. To see where our relationship led – but no more.

  “Thalia, you need to eat something, and don’t tell me you aren’t hungry. I heard your stomach grumbling,” Callie said walking back into the room with sandwiches and sodas.

  I wiped my eyes before taking mine from her. “Thanks.”

  “What about Reece?”

  My friend blushed, and I mean blushed. Okay, she had my curiosity piqued, with my offhand comment. I seriously hadn’t expected that kind of reaction. I needed a distraction. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush that shade before, so spill.”

  “Ugh. You’re not going to let it go are you?”

  “No. I also need to think about something else for a while.”

  “Okay…I’ve spent a night with him.”

  My eyes widened. I knew they’d done something after her mentioning them giving her four orgasms, and Reece having a piercing, but all night. She never spent the night with anyone.

  “He’s a really nice guy. Under all those tattoos, which are hot as well as his pierced, um, well you know… Last night I found out he has someone else, Dahlia.”

  She looked sad. “Callie, what happened?”

  “Dahlia rang him this morning. He climbed out of bed with no word to me, at all, and left…we both knew I’d be leaving after the wedding and that it was only casual, you know. But it hurt. Him leaving like that, to go to her, when he’d convinced me last night there was noth
ing between them.”

  I honestly didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know Reece that well, but I wouldn’t have thought he would do something like that.

  “Then perhaps it’s just as well we’re heading home. I need to contact Liam, if he’ll talk to me, and tell him I had nothing to do with what Lewis said. I also want to wish him well for Saturday. I can’t believe he’s getting married in two days.” I laughed. “Who’d have thought all this shit would happen this summer…I wish I’d gone to Texas with you instead of coming here. Then my heart wouldn’t be breaking,” I whispered.

  “You don’t know that, and can you honestly tell me you wish you hadn’t met Jack? I saw you with him, you were so different, he was perfect for you…Please don’t get mad with me, but I think you need to go and find him, and tell him you had nothing to do with Lewis. I know all about your pride, but you love him.”

  “No. I’m not going there…I’m not hungry, maybe later. I need to go for a walk.”

  She stood up with me. “I’m coming.”

  “Thanks.”

  Callie slipped her feet back into the cowgirl boots she’d removed as soon as she’d come through the door, and then opened the door again. We walked downstairs in silence while I quickly wiped at a stray tear, I opened the front door of the inn and came face-to-face with Jack.

  His hand was in mid-air about to knock on the door. He looked just as shocked to see me, as I was to see him.

  He tried to pull himself together, running his hands through his hair, which he did when he was stressed. “Thalia,” he said, his voice breaking.

  He started again, “Thalia, can we talk? Please.”

  Staring into his eyes I knew I needed to talk to him, but nothing would change between us. He’d broken part of me with his mistrust.

  “Let’s go and sit in the forest.” I turned back to Callie, who made the shooing motion with her hands, and then she turned, walking back upstairs.

  Jack stepped back to allow me to precede him down the path. We walked towards the entrance to the forest in silence. Jack kept glancing over to me, but I refused to meet his eyes.

  It had felt good to see him again even though it hurt like hell. When I saw him standing outside the door, my first instinct had been to throw my arms around him; I’d had to reign in the impulse. I still loved him, and it hurt so much being with him, but having to keep my distance.

  Inside the forest, I walked slightly off the path so we would have some privacy. I turned to face him, the look on his face taking me aback. He was sorry, it was written all over his face.

  “Thalia…I don’t know where to start.” He looked at me, lost for words.

  “I know all about Rebecca…and I know Lewis’ reasoning behind it all. Callie phoned Donovan and got it out of him,” I told him, unable to keep the hurt out of my voice. “It doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t trust me. You automatically assumed what you’d been told was fact. You didn’t ask me. You accused me. I can’t get that out of my head.”

  “Thalia, please. I’m really sorry. I love you,” he said trying to take hold of my hands, but I moved out of his reach. “I didn’t think after Lewis dropped his bombshell. As far as I knew, you were the only one to have seen my tattoos and piercing. I didn’t stop to think that someone else could have seen. God, baby I know I really fucked up, but please don’t back away from me. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you; just don’t walk away from me, Thalia. I’ve looked for you for a long time. I don’t want to lose you.”

  I knew what I wanted to do, but I was too hurt to take what was right in front of me. What was to say he wouldn’t hurt me again? He’d done it once before, without thinking, he’d do it again.

  “I love you too, Jack, but I don’t know what I want or where I want to go from here…you crushed me earlier.”

  With a deep breath, I chanced a glance in his direction; tears shimmered on his face. Oh God. I wasn’t sure I had the strength to walk away from him. He had my heart and I knew he probably always would. I tried to pull myself together, even though the track of my tears matched his.

  Moving in closer to him I met his gaze. He knew. He knew what I was doing. I lifted my hands to his face and brushed his tears away, only for more to follow. I rose up on my toes, placed a gentle kiss to his lips, and whispered, “Goodbye.” Then with all the strength I had, I turned and ran back to the inn, also in tears.

  Chapter 61

  Jack

  I couldn’t move as I watched the woman who held my heart run away from me after kissing me goodbye. Fuck. I stepped back and collapsed onto a fallen tree with my head in my hands while I cried like a fucking baby.

  It was my fault. I’d been a bastard earlier and now I was paying the price. I’d lost her because I hadn’t stop to think, which was what Liam had tried to get me to do. But I’d known best, and carried on regardless.

  Yanking my t-shirt over my head, I wiped my eyes then my face and tried to pull myself together. I had no idea how long I’d been sitting in the forest, but I wasn’t going to just sit back and let the woman I loved walk out of my life because I’d been a first class dick.

  “You okay,” Liam asked.

  “How long have you been standing there?” I think I’d have to kill my brother if he’d seen me five minutes ago.

  “A minute.”

  I raised an eyebrow.

  “Seriously, I just arrived. Mia’s gone over to the inn, begging Thalia and Callie to stay for the wedding. She really wants Thalia to be her bridesmaid.”

  My heart missed a beat. She wouldn’t leave today with Mia on the case. Surely she wouldn’t. I needed to come up with a plan to make her see how much I loved her. “I need your help,” I said, jumping up from the tree with new purpose, startling Liam who’d been off in his own thoughts.

  “Ah, I’m your brother remember? I’ve seen your plans in the past.”

  “For fuck’s sake Liam, we were kids back then. This one has to work, because I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit back and do nothing while Thalia walks out of my life.”

  “I’m still not sure about this, but I’ll help, seeing as it was my fiancées father who screwed it all up in the first place.”

  “Well gee thanks. Not because you’re my brother, huh!”

  “No, you’re an ass.”

  Ignoring Liam, I walked out of the forest and headed towards Kix; I needed a beer. I also needed to think through what I planned, because I sure as hell didn’t want to screw anything else up. Once was more than enough in this lifetime.

  Unsure about what to do about my screwed up relationship with Thalia, I hoped to drown my guilt in beer, but one thing I was sure about and that was having Thalia wear my ring. I loved her and was going to damn well fight for her. I’d screwed up big time. I sure as hell didn’t want to do it again.

  We pushed our way into Kix and found Donovan and Reece sitting at the bar, both sipping beer. They’d heard the door slam back into place; Reece turned and saw us, nudged Donovan.

  “What happened?” Reece asked.

  Sitting down at the bar next to him, I reached for the beer Suzie passed me, and downed it in one. I tapped the empty bottle on to the bar top, and then took another large drink of the new one Suzie passed me.

  “That bad?”

  “She said…goodbye.” Shit my voice broke. I finished the second bottle off then reached for the third.

  “Wow, bro. Take it easy.” Liam grabbed my wrist.

  I turned and scowled at him. “Mia wouldn’t like you having a black eye in your wedding pictures.”

  He backed off slightly.

  “Talking about wedding pictures…Mia admitted the real reason for getting rid of Rebecca as a bridesmaid. She did break her arm, so Mia used that as an excuse, but the truth was Rebecca, um, had a thing for you, and once or twice the things she came out with frightened Mia.”

  I nodded, taking another drink, and then remembered Reece and Callie. I turned to him, grinned, and asked, �
�So what does Dahlia think about you doing the horizontal with Callie?”

  “Fuck,” he whispered under his breath. “You really are looking for a fight.”

  “Callie is Thalia’s friend. I don’t want you screwing her over.”

  Donovan snickered. “Too late for that.”

  “Fuck. Get off my back. You’re a bunch of fucking assholes,” Reece shouted, storming out of the bar. The next minute we heard his bike start.

  “What the hell.” I looked to Donovan for an answer.

  He shook his head, standing up. “He likes Callie more than what I think he’d like, and she likes him. That’s why I stepped back. All I know is that Dahlia rang him first thing this morning when he was with Callie. He said she was awake when he took the call, and that he left without saying anything to her. Something’s going on with Dahlia. He’s not having sex with her. In fact I don’t think he ever has, because he treats her like a sister. There’s something between them, but now it’s come between him and Callie, someone he really likes…Personally I think he’s screwed it up. He should have at least spoken to her after Dahlia called him, but he didn’t…I guess you’ve both fucked up today. Right now, you both make me thankful I don’t have a girl…too much damn trouble. I’m outta here. I’ll see you at the wedding.”

  I watched Donovan leave, finished my beer then got Liam to take me home, while I prayed I didn’t screw anything else up.

  Chapter 62

  Thalia

  Two days ago I never thought I’d ever be standing in Jack’s house again. Mia had persuaded me to stay and act as her bridesmaid; she’d also explained the real reason behind getting rid of Rebecca, which was real creepy. No wonder Rebecca had asked Lewis to use my name. Get rid of me – clear the path to Jack.

  Jack. Over the past couple of days I’d missed him like crazy. I’d missed his voice. I’d missed his body. I’d missed the look in his eyes when he’d look at me. I also couldn’t forget how he looked when I’d told him goodbye. I’d broken his heart, like he did mine, and it made me feel worse than I already did.