“It’s not Sunnyville,” she blurted.
“What did your father do that was so unforgivable, huh?” I was sick of dancing around the real issue. I was done with her vague accusations and attacks on his character.
“You really want to know?” she asked, growing more animated. “Are you prepared to discover that your idol isn’t as perfect as you thought?” Her voice was laced with venom, but beneath it was pain.
“He wasn’t perfect,” I said. “No one is.”
“You are, aren’t you? Hotshot firefighter who builds adorable tiny houses for homeless vets in the off-season. And…you rescued Ms. Jenkins from a house fire last winter.”
I tensed, clenching my fists. “I see you’ve been talking to Chatty Cathy. Did she also tell you that I served time? That I only became a hotshot after spending sixteen months at Pine Grove?”
Her jaw slackened for a moment, but she quickly recovered. “Actually, I read about you in theSunnyville Gazette. And it didn’t mention Pine Grove. At least you owned up to your mistakes. Plus, you told me about your past when you didn’t have to.” She shook her head. “Maybe Doc was right.”
“Right?”
“He said you were a good man. And today, you’ve definitely proven that. Thank you for taking care of me.”
Her words surprised me, but I wasn’t willing to let it go so easily. “I didn’t do it for you.”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes, dragging a hand through her curls. They were an unruly mess and incredibly sexy. She smelled amazing. “You did it for my dad.” Said with such bitterness, such anger.
I shook my head. “Did your father murder someone? Lie? Steal? What?”
“He cheated on my mom.”
I furrowed my brow, surprised that she’d finally admitted the heart of the matter. And yet, Scott had never told me that. Had barely mentioned his ex in all the years I’d known him, despite all the deep conversations we’d had.
“You don’t believe me?” she asked.
I lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t say that. I just… I’d be surprised, is all.”
“Well, I was there.” She dug a finger into her chest. “I saw it with my own eyes.” She swallowed, taking a breath. “I was at the stables, visiting my horse, when I saw him emerge from one of the empty stalls with a woman I’d seen around.” The words spilled out of her, as if she were a bottle of wine that had been uncorked after all these years. Bleeding the truth, staining the carpet red. She closed her eyes, and I could tell reliving the memory pained her. “Her hair was disheveled, cheeks flushed.”
“Okay,” I said, seeing how she might draw some conclusions from that. “But that doesn’t prove anything.”
“A few days later, my mom left.” She sniffled, and damn if something in me didn’t crack.
All this time, I’d pictured Audrey as cold and heartless, but watching her shatter made me rethink my opinion. She was just as damaged and flawed as the rest of us. She’d shut Scott out to protect herself. That didn’t make it right, but it did make her actions more understandable—relatable, even. Hell, how many times had I shut people out in the past? How many times did I still do it—all to protect myself?
“Did she say why?” I asked, preferring not to dwell on my issues.
“No, but I think the reason is pretty obvious.”
“Have you ever talked to your mom about it?”
“How could I?” she asked. “She left. She never called. Never mailed anything. She. Never. Came. Back.”
“But—”
“Stop trying to defend him!” she screamed, breaking any illusion of composure or control. This woman was so very different—so broken—from the Audrey I’d encountered the past few days. For the first time, she seemed more…human.
“It’s all his fault,” she said. “He ruined everything.” Tears streamed down her cheeks, and I was torn between defending him and comforting her. “And now, when I’m finally on the cusp of getting to argue a big issue in a case…when I’m finally close to becoming a senior associate, I’m dragged back into this mess—hismess.”
Of course.I let out a heavy sigh and glanced toward the ceiling. As always, it was all about her. She only cared about herself. Why had I expected any different?
“You’re wrong about Scott. I know it.”
She shook her head. “I know what I saw.”
