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Chapter Twelve
Back on the road, an uncomfortable silence had taken hold of the car, all the heat and desire from before, gone. Griffin glanced at Darcy who stared out the window, fingertips pressed to her lips, apparently deep in thought.
They might have years separating them, but he still knew her, still remembered. She was upset. He just didn’t know why.
He brushed her leg, and she moved away. “Darce, talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to say.” Her tone was flat, with no emotion. “What happened back there was a mistake.”
In the darkness of the rural road he couldn’t see her expression, and it frustrated him. “Was it?”
“Yes.” She seemed to blow out a deep breath. “Can you take me home?”
“All right.” He clenched the steering wheel. “Are you upset because Charlie saw us? I can promise you he won’t say a word.”
She huffed and shook her head. “You’re such an idiot.”
He turned left onto her street and pulled up in front of her tiny house. It was run-down and dilapidated. The small porch sagged on one side. It looked old and abandoned, ready to move on from its life as a home. Ironic that it was the one thing standing in the way. He could take the house, he had the legal grounds to do so, he’d made sure of it. But at what cost?
Darcy wouldn’t forgive him.
Did he need her forgiveness? Did it matter? She’d fight him until he won and was forced to play his hand and take her mom’s house away. After, she’d leave to go back to her life in New York, where she wanted nothing to do with him or Revival.
So what did forgiveness matter?
He looked at her. She still stared out the window, but made no effort to leave his car.
He took that as a sign to talk.
“Why am I an idiot?” he asked, shifting in his seat to face her, despite the fact that she didn’t look at him.
Seconds ticked by as he waited for her answer, and when he thought she wouldn’t give him one, she spoke. “I hated the way I grew up. Hated that everyone assumed I was trash just because of where I came from.”
“I hated that too.” He had. His daddy had been rotten to the core, and Griffin had looked just like him. Everyone assumed the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree, and, growing up, Griffin had done whatever he could to exceed those expectations.
“When I left this town, I swore I’d never let anyone treat me like that again.”
“That’s a good thing.”
She turned to face him then, and her cold expression sent a chill right through him. “You just did.”
He frowned at her. “I don’t understand.”
“All you cared about was that Charlie wouldn’t tell anyone.” She waved a hand, and it sliced through the small space that separated them. “You’re one of them now. I’m still an outsider. Still not fit for company. And I’m sure as hell not good enough for the now king of this stupid town.”
Anger rose in his chest. “That’s bullshit.”
“It’s not.”
He shook his head, trying and failing to keep hold of his temper. “That had nothing to do with you. And I’m not going to apologize for making something of myself. I’m not going to apologize for caring about the town I live in and wanting to see it thrive.”
“You didn’t make something of yourself!” she yelled, clutching her purse with tight fingers. “You sold out.”
“Why?” He waved a hand in her direction. “Because I didn’t go to some big city like you did? I don’t want that life. I like walking down the street and knowing all the faces. I like not being able to walk into the local diner without having to have a conversation with someone. I like knowing I can leave my doors open in the summer. I chose not to run away. Which is a hell of a lot more than I can say about you.”
“Yeah, well, good for you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But I told you I’m not going to be your dirty little secret.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. “That was not about hiding you. I’m the mayor. I can’t go around bringing women to my house.”
