Aggie felt a hand on her arm.
“Breathe, child. He can’t hurt you anymore.” Bradley nudged her along and they walked over the white sand toward the waves.
Aggie fought back the tears but eventually let them fall, comforted more than she thought possible by this man she’d known ever since she could remember.
“Let it out, my dear. You’re safe now.” The walked aimlessly up the beach until Aggie had her tears under control.
After some time had passed, Bradley spoke again. “It all makes sense now. You buying the bakery, hiding yourself away like a night owl. Not dating.” He sighed. “I want to help you deal with this. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t see this coming, Aggie. Wish I’d known so I could’ve helped you earlier. April knows?”
“Yeah. She’s the only one who does. I want to keep it that way.”
“Nobody is going to hear anything from me and that’s a promise.”
“Not even Dad?”
Bradley shook his head. “No. That’s for you to tell him if you think he can handle it. I won’t press you to do anything you don’t want to, except let me help you. Come and talk to me. You don’t have to deal with this on your own when I’m practically on your doorstep.”
She stopped at the edge of the waves, letting the sea nibble at her toes. “I don’t know if I can bear to keep going over it. It’s easier to push it away—ignore it ever happened.”
“Understandable. But if I can be frank, it’s also the way to let it ruin your life. It’ll come back and bite you in the ass one day when you least expect it.”
“Thanks. I’ll think about it, but I’m not promising anything.”
By the time they made it up to her street, she’d bared her soul to him way more than she’d intended.
She stood on the corner, swinging her handbag. “So you see, Bradley, why it can’t be anything more with Liam. I’m not good enough for him.” Aggie doubted she’d ever get over the emotional burden she carried as a result of the attack.
Bradley’s eyes bulged and a vein in his temple swelled. She couldn’t have said anything worse by the look of it. “That’s rubbish and I’ll prove it to you. Don’t let yourself become a victim, Aggie. You’re stronger than that.”
She tried not to see the pain in his eyes. Imagine if her father found out. That would be tenfold and Aggie didn’t think she could stand it. “I don’t think I want to risk it.”
He scratched his head, sending swathes of gray hair over his forehead. “So you’d rather live alone than risk opening up your heart to someone? Someone who might just be the perfect person to help you heal?”
“I think I’m past that point. All I feel is shame and despair. I don’t want to bring him down as well. It’s easier to keep my distance.”
“You didn’t think so last night.”
“It was the wedding. It made me feel frivolous.”
“I don’t think you came blame those things, Aggie. I think you really wanted to be with Liam because you trust him. But do you trust him enough to support you when he knows the truth? I think that’s what scares you the most; you want him but have a fear of being scorned or being judged.” He stopped and looked at her. “You’re so scared that he’ll react badly, you run the risk of never have someone who loves you. It’s a big mistake, Aggie.”
“Think what you like, Bradley. I know my own mind.” She started walking up the road toward her home.
“Call me if you want to talk, Aggie. I’m here for you. Remember that.” He waved and she turned away, hating how close he was to the truth.
* * *
Liam knew he was alone before he opened his eyes. Where her warmth had been last night, now lay a cold indent in his sheets to remind him that she’d been there. Her perfume still clung to the pillow and he breathed deeply wondering if that had been his one and only chance with her.
Even while they were making love last night, Liam could feel the distance between them getting wider and wider. As though Aggie was with him in body but not in spirit. It was a strange foreboding feeling he hadn’t been able to shrug off. It seemed as though he was right.
“You’re a lousy man to have around, Liam Davidson,” he said to himself quietly, shaking his head. “You can’t even keep your word to yourself. What makes you think you’re good enough for the likes of Aggie Hope?”
Chapter 11
“Don’t you think he deserves more, Aggie?” Her father stood over her with a coffee in his hand. “Not like you to treat someone like this.”
“What’s happening here?” Gigi walked into the lounge. “Who’s treating someone else bad on such a lovely sunny day after such a divine wedding?” She stood in the middle of the room and stretched her arms over her head before dazzling Aggie with her smile.
Her father spoke first. “Aggie spent the night with Liam and walked out on him this morning. Poor guy will be wondering what happened.”
Gigi shrugged. “I think that’s between Aggie and Liam, don’t you?”
Her father frowned. “No, I don’t.”
“She’s right, Dad. It’s none of your business.” Why they were having this discussion anyway was beyond her. Probably because he caught her sneaking into the house when he got up. Not that it had been awkward or anything. Mortifying actually. “I’m a big girl and I can do whatever I want. If you’re going to start lecturing me, I’ll find an apartment.”
“Now, now, honey. You don’t have to go that far. I like
