Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“That’s because you’re so hell-bent on having River to yourself. And why is that, exactly?”
She swallows. “He’s the closest link to my past.”
“He’s one of four, Misty. Why him?”
“Because he still lives there.”
“I call bullshit.”
She widens her eyes. “I’m completely serious. Plus, it’s no secret that he’s the best-looking of the bunch.”
“If you like the type,” I say dryly.
Which I do, and it still surprises the hell out of me.
“He’s gorgeous,” she says. “They all are, of course.”
“Yes, they all are. So why not Brett? He’s a blond surfer-god type, and he lives in LA. Or Sebastian. You’ve already been linked to him. And he also lives in LA. Why a rancher?”
“Because”—she draws in a breath—“he’s the one I want, Emily. And I always get what I want.”
“Do you, though?” I look her straight in her eyes. “Seems you want more information on your mother and half-brother. You want to know who your birth father is. You haven’t gotten any of that.”
“Yet,” she says with emphasis. “I haven’t gotten it yet.”
“All right then.” I keep my gaze laser-focused on hers. “I’ll keep your secrets, Misty. So tell me then. What do you have on Evangeline?”
“I know who her baby’s father is.”
“And who is he?”
“He’s not a nice man,” Misty says. “And if he knew Evangeline was pregnant with his child, he’d take her to court for custody. And he’d win.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“It’s…” She draws in a breath. “I can trust you, right?”
EPISODE 130
COMING TO A HEAD
Sebastian
Brett meets my gaze after I ask him whether Sienna will return. “She didn’t say one way or the other,” he says, “but I doubt she’ll be back.”
“Why?” Alex asks. “She and I… I thought there might be something there. The first night, at least.”
“I liked her too.” Brett kicks the sand underneath his feet. “But she’s in love with someone else.”
“Then why the hell was she even here?” River demands. “This was the biggest damned mistake we’ve—”
He stops abruptly.
Yeah, I know what he was going to say, and judging by the looks on Alex’s and Brett’s faces, they know as well.
The biggest mistake we’ve ever made.
But Riv would be wrong. The biggest mistake we made was twenty years ago, and we’ve all paid the price.
Brett sighs. “I like Sienna. A lot. And we had hella chemistry. But she’s hung up on her ex.”
“I thought she was leaving to see his mother, pay her respects or whatever,” Alex says.
“She was. Is.” Brett runs his hand over his face. “But she and I talked a lot about it. I told her to go home. To see if what she and the ex had was worth saving.”
“Christ, Brett.” Alex shakes his head.
“What do you think I should have done?” Brett demands. “Tell her to return when her heart is somewhere else? Who does that help? Would it be better if one of us fell for her and she couldn’t go through with it because of unresolved feelings for someone else?”
“This is on Evie,” I say. “Evie didn’t do her due diligence.”
“I tend to agree,” River asserts.
“Then it’s on me,” Brett says. “I found Evie. She was hungry. Maybe too hungry.”
“And I’m wondering what this pregnancy has to do with everything,” I say. “I mean, why hide it? And why does she think she’s in danger from the kid’s father?”
“You all know the solution as well as I do,” River says. “We need to shut this down.”
“Riv is right,” Alex agrees. “We need to stop this.”
I sigh. “We all agreed to this. And we have our reasons.”
“Those reasons are no longer valid,” River says. “It’s over, Seb. Let it go.”
“Fine. I’ll agree if Brett agrees. If it’s unanimous, we’ll call the whole damned thing off.”
Brett is staring at the ocean. I have no idea what’s going through his mind, and just when I’m about to ask him again, River speaks.
“You have to tell them, man.”
Brett turns to face River. The two of them have something that Alex and I have never quite understood. We’re all close, but Riv and Brett are like brothers.
“Fine.” Brett shrugs. “Let’s walk. I need a minute.”
What the fuck? But I know better than to ask. Brett won’t talk until Brett is ready to talk.
As the four of us make our way along the shoreline, the only sounds are the crash of waves and the occasional crunch of sand beneath our feet. We follow Brett’s rhythm, his silent contemplation setting the pace. The tension in the air is palpable, as heavy as the damp sea air that we’re breathing in.
After what seems like an eternity, Brett breaks his stride and comes to a halt. His gaze is fixed on two figures.
Two women.
I recognize my English rose right away. She’s wearing a flowing blue sundress that’s floating around her legs with the breeze. Damn. As much as I enjoyed being with both Heather and Ariel, something about Emily Kensington still calls to me.