“It’s three bedrooms,” he said, gesturing to the front of the house, partially hidden by tall weeds and intermittent grass.“But I’m planning to add a fourth. I’m going to raze the barn, though. There might be some wood to reclaim, but I won’t besure until I get in there and take it apart.”
He started to talk about the kitchen, then the living room, and the bedrooms as they walked around to the back of the property.“See that huge elm tree? I thought that would be a good place for a tire swing.”
“Uh-huh.” How could he act like a real estate agent when her life was in pieces? She had no choice but to humor him.
He turned to her, a bead of sweat dripping down his face. The day was unbearably hot, even more than usual for early July.“If I’m boring you, please tell me.”
His words, along with the hurt expression on his face, softened her heart a bit. “It’s not boring. I’m just . . .”
“I know. You’re upset about Tracey.” He moved toward her, his arms open. “It will be okay.”
“No, it won’t.” She backed away from him. “It’s never okay when it comes to her.”
“All right.” His arms went to his side.
“I want to go back to Mimi’s.” She turned around and started to leave.
“Riley, don’t—”
“Don’t what?” she whirled around and faced him. “Don’t be upset? Don’t close myself off? Too bad, Hayden, because that’s whatI do.” Her throat closed as she hit her fist on her chest. “This is me. The real me. And I know how this ends.”
He shook his head, his expression bewildered. “How what ends? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She backed away, unable to stop the tears. “I end up getting hurt.”
He hurried to her. “I’m not going to hurt you, Riley.”
“You will. You’ll get tired of my issues, tired of my pity parties, tired of me wanting more than I deserve.”
He held his hands out to her. “Where is this coming from? I won’t get tired of you, Riley. Everyone has issues, includingme. Especially me. Are you saying you’ll get tired of me?”
Without realizing it, he was giving her an out. She lifted her chin. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I don’t need anyone’sextra baggage.”
“Wow,” he said, flinching.
She continued her onslaught. “I’m going back to New York, Hayden. Mimi’s fine, the shop is in good shape, and the house isfinished. There’s no reason for me to stay.”
“No reason at all?” He scowled. “Not a single one you can think of?”
She fought to keep her chin from trembling. “Not a single one.”
He stood still. “Then I guess you’d better get packing.”
His words pierced her. He was giving up that easily? Of course he is. They all did, even Mimi at one time. Where was her grandmother when Tracey was dragging Riley all over the state, even intoOklahoma and Missouri, when Riley was a child? Why had she only agreed to let Riley live with her when she was a teenager?
Hayden pulled out his cell phone, then turned his back on Riley. “Tanner. Hey. Can you pick me up? Cool. Here’s the address.”
Riley stared at Hayden’s back. The calm way he was talking to Tanner drove the spear deeper into her heart. So much for allhis words about patience and never leaving. It didn’t take much time—what, four or five weeks?—before he gave up on her. Thathad to be a record. At least Tracey and Mimi had kept her around for years.
Her heart burned as she got into the car and sped out on the dirt road. The tears fell, cool on her hot cheeks. Anger filledher. This was all her fault. She never should have let Hayden get close to her, but she’d ignored all the alarm bells in herbrain. She wouldn’t be feeling this intense pain if she had kept her distance and blocked him out of her heart. But he hadbeen so persistent. So charming. So wonderful. So perfect and everything she had ever wanted . . . but knew she could neverhave.
She wiped the tears from her cheek with the palm of her hand and let out a bitter laugh. What a fool she’d been to think lifecould be any different. That he was different. But I’m the one pushing him away.
She had to admit to her part in it, but better she cut ties now than later. Because she had been well on her way to fallingin love with him. And if she was hurting this much now, she would have been fractured into a million pieces if she’d admittedshe loved him. There would have been no way she could put herself back together then.
* * *
Hayden had to force himself not to throw his phone across the field. A smashed phone wouldn’t fix his and Riley’s relationship.Correction, ex-relationship. Instead, he shoved it in the pocket of his khaki pants, feeling a seam in the fabric rip. Hedidn’t care. The fury inside him took over his innate ability to gather his emotions and set them aside. His greatest fearhad come true.
All this time he thought he was making headway with Riley. That she felt the same about him as he did about her. That theymight have a future together some day. Of course he knew he had his work cut out for him, and she was not only worth it, buthe’d hoped he was getting closer to her heart. Then she wrecked that hope with a few choice words. She was going to leaveMaple Falls the same way she’d arrived—closed, distant, self-protected. The only thing left for him to do was piece his heartback together.
He paused, wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. Not all of his perspiration was due to the heat and humidity.He took in a couple deep breaths and counted to ten. That settled him a bit, cleared the red flames of
