The blonde reached across the table and took Brea’s hand. “I’m sure he understands.”
“It’s Cutter, so of course he does. But I should tan his hide for not explaining our ‘engagement’ the moment he realized he was in love with you. I’m not surprised he didn’t, though. He wouldn’t have spilled my secret to anyone without a—pardon my French—damn good reason. And he would never have put his own happiness above my fears.” She huffed. “I’m going to have some words with that man.”
Shealyn stared for a very long time, clearly mulling everything over and making some decisions. “Thank you for explaining. It’s none of my business, and I hate to just barge in or ruin your plans—”
“Do you love Cutter?”
“With all my heart.” Shealyn’s face said that, without him, the organ beating in her chest was broken.
Brea smiled big. “Then you just muck up every last plan. I could never make him happy, but I think you can. And no one deserves it more.” If Pierce came back to her, he might be furious that Cutter had started a future with Shealyn, but Brea could still pretend she wasn’t One-Mile’s girl without having Cutter in her life. “He has always had a chip on his shoulder about being the town drunk’s kid. But he’s so much more than that.”
“Except for my grandfather, he’s the best man I’ve ever met. You really don’t mind if I steal him from you?”
Was she kidding? Brea probably wasn’t going to get her own happy ending, but if Cutter could have his with the woman he loved, she’d be thrilled.
“So you can make my best friend ecstatically happy? Goodness, no. My life has gone to heck in a handbasket, but that’s my own doing. Even so, I can’t tie Cutter down. Just…if you’re going to take him back to California, let him visit every so often. My baby will need an uncle.”
Shealyn smiled. “Of course. I’d never try to keep him from seeing you two. And I’m sure—”
The jiggling of the lock startled Brea. At the sound, Shealyn fell silent and stood, nervously wringing her hands.
Seconds later, the door opened and Cutter walked in, palming his keys. He walked in—then stopped in mid-stride. Brea watched his stare climb up Shealyn’s body and saw their gazes lock. His expression twisted with pain and need. The air between them sizzled. She felt their mutual longing like a physical pang.
It was obvious Cutter loved Shealyn with every ounce of his being.
“What are you doing here?” He sounded as if someone had stolen the breath from his chest.
Shealyn lifted her chin. “I came to talk to you.”
“And that’s my cue to leave.” They needed privacy, and she’d only be in their way. “Shealyn, it was lovely to meet you. I’m glad we’ve had this chance to talk.”
“Me, too.” The actress smiled and hugged her. “Thank you.”
Brea had a feeling they’d eventually be friends. But for now, Cutter scowled in confusion, so she sidled closer and wrapped her arms around him. “You two talk. Be happy. Don’t worry about me. Tomorrow, we can discuss what idiots we’ve been. Then we’ll figure out the best way to let everyone know the wedding is off.”
Shock spread across his face. “You’re good with ending it?”
“Absolutely.” From the sound of his voice, it seemed Cutter had been contemplating breaking off their engagement, too. For her safety, he’d remained her fiancé longer than he should have, and she loved him for it. But now he needed to follow his heart. “I only had to see you and Shealyn look at each other once. I would never stand in the way of love.”
Brea kissed his cheek, swiped her gun off the table, grabbed her pregnancy book, then shoved everything in her purse. She wriggled into her tennis shoes by the door, then grabbed her keys.
“Um, Brea… Before you go, I should tell you—”
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow. You have someone way more important than me who needs you right now. Bye.” With a little wave, she backed out of the door and shut it, leaving them in privacy.
As the door clicked closed, she sighed. Hopefully they would work everything out and live happily ever after.
Brea feared she wasn’t going to.
“Hi, pretty girl,” a wonderfully familiar, dark voice rasped inches from her ear.
With a gasp, she whirled.
Pierce?
There he stood just beyond the circle of the porch light.
Her world stopped. Her heart thundered. A two-ton weight of relief hit her. “You’re alive!”
“Yeah.”
But there was something different about him… He had an edge she’d never seen. It wasn’t just the dark clothes hanging from his leaner frame or the thick beard he wore over his sunken cheeks. It was more than the determination gleaming in his hungry black eyes as he visually inhaled her. The difference was danger. He reeked of it. Its intensity pinged off him.
“And you’re really here?”
“For now. God, you look beautiful.” Pierce clenched his fists at his sides, as if he was desperate to touch her…but didn’t.
Brea bridged the chasm between them and threw herself against him, wrapping him in her arms.
Pierce groaned as he pressed every inch of her against his hard body, clutching her so tightly she could barely breathe. “I needed to see you, baby. So bad.”
Brea had a million questions, but she held back as he buried his face in her neck and breathed her in as if he’d never let her go. She clung to him in return, fisting his shirt and pressing kisses along his razor-sharp jaw as stinging tears gathered in her eyes. He’d lost sleep and lost weight. Concern rose.
Her phone buzzing in her purse shuttled her questions and dashed the moment.
“That better not be Cutter.” Pierce scowled.
She doubted that very much as she reached for her
