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“Anytime you want,” Mrs. Waddle told her. “I know exactly where it is.”
Aspen looked to me, biting her lip so she didn’t laugh. Her landlady, her adopted grandmother, and dear friend, had known its location all along.
“I want to see this rock, too,” Mallory added. “I’ve lived here my whole life and never heard of it.”
A group discussion began about the rock, and I had enough. I needed Aspen to myself. I may have declared myself and my intentions on live TV, but I had to tell her how I felt. What I wanted. Alone. Taking her hand, I tugged her off the stage and away from the crazy group of people we called family and friends.
57
ASPEN
* * *
“What I said on the show was the truth. I’ve never lied to you, tiger.”
We were sitting on the floor in my yoga studio, our backs against the mirrored wall. We hadn’t talked as Luke drove us back to town. Somehow, we ended up here. But it made sense. It was the only quiet place to be alone. Mrs. Waddle would entertain Sierra and Luke’s parents, so there was no way we’d have any privacy in my apartment upstairs. Or maybe they were off in the woods to see the bulldog rock Mrs. Waddle knew about.
I couldn’t believe she knew about it and knew exactly where it was. All of this could have been averted entirely if I was aware of that from the start.
“I know,” I murmured to Luke.
His hand was on the back of my neck, as usual. It was as if that was his spot to hold me. To comfort me. To know I was his.
“You know?” He gazed at me with openness and a hint of worry or fear. His eyes flicked to my lips.
I nodded, wanting him to kiss me. “Your FBI friend stopped by.”
His eyes widened and his fingers tightened a touch. “What? When? Shit.”
“Before the show started,” I admitted.
“Please tell me you didn’t give money to your ex.” A hint of desperation tinged his voice.
“What? No.”
“Thank fuck.” He sighed. “I told Theo to make sure–”
“You talked to Theo?”
He huffed. “Yeah. I made an appointment as a patient at the clinic. Figured it was the safest way to see him without the chance of him bringing a woodchipper. I told him about the possible money trail from you to Duncan to your mother. I swear I knew nothing about it until after the party the other night. Mark called and… well, shit. It was my fault you had that money, and I couldn’t get in touch with you to warn you. I had to protect you.”
“That’s why he brought the lawyer,” I muttered. “Theo knew I didn’t give the money though so he must’ve expected the FBI guy to show.”
He sighed. “Good. He’s… I can’t believe I’m saying this since he told everyone in the clinic I have gonorrhea, but he’s a nice guy.”
“I hope that generosity extends to me because you’ll probably be getting a call from the hockey organization thanking you for your huge scholarship donation,” I said.
His eyes widened, then he laughed. “Best donation I ever made. God, tiger.” He kissed me, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer. “I had no idea it would all get so fucked up. I thought I was helping you and then it turned out I made everything worse.”
“I wasn’t keeping that money. Not when I thought you did it to get closer to my mother.”
He shook his head vehemently. “No, that’s not it. I–”
“I know. Now. You met my parents, and you can see why I’m so fucked up. I’ve been so jaded about love I just expect everyone to use it against me.”
“Ah, baby. No.”
“I couldn’t imagine why you’d really want to be with me. So it was easier to make it a fake relationship. Then I could keep you at arm’s length. It didn’t matter what I felt for you because I expected you to do something to hurt me. Then you did.”
