I couldn’t believe it either, but the familiarity had gotten to me. I caught the divots forming between Annette’s brows. Wren watched us with sparkling eyes. What did June and I look like? Reunited lovers?
That wasn’t what we were.
Our situation was unique, and I’d let it be just that for a while.
“Sorry to spill the beans.” Annette gripped her purse strap. “I didn’t realize...”
“Annette.” June gave a dramatic sigh. “Rhys is so forthcoming. I just can’t believe you didn’t know.”
Annette’s laughter burst out of her. “Yes. Very true.” She met my gaze and mouthedsorrybefore scurrying away.
“Dad should be the one who’s sorry,” Bethany grumbled. She stood, knocking her chair back.
I lunged for it, bumping into June. She caught it and shot me an amused look as she righted the chair.
“I’ve gotta go to the bathroom.” She marched off.
“Me too.” Hannah scurried behind her.
June scooted her chair over, leaving a few inches between us that might as well be a chasm after feeling her pressed against me. My fingers itched to drag her closer again.
Wren folded her napkin into neat little squares. “I never agreed with the secrecy, but I can understand with how Kirstin was.”
I gave Wren a sharp look, and she rolled her lips in, her gaze skating away. What was it with people bringing up shit that wasn’t their business?
June’s stare burned into the side of my face.
Wren shifted her attention to June. “How is Mae?”
When June’s gaze lifted from me, my lungs could finally expand.
“Good.” Fondness filled June’s eyes. “She loves having Lane and Cruz living there, but I guess Lane is moving to Denver soon. Now that Elsa’s born, Myles plans to train Lane in all things Foster House. Cruz might even get in on it later, but he loves working with Tenor.”
“Those boys are so nice.” Wren folded her hands on the table and continued to pepper June with polite questions about the rest of the Baileys.
I glowered at the top of the table. The girls returned, mutiny in their eyes. I was going to hear about my role in June’s heartbreak. The girls were likely to forgive me though.
A lifetime wasn’t enough for me to forgive myself.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rhys
I stood in the middle of the living room and pressed the palms of my hands into my eyes. For the entire week, I’d been hearing about songs and whether June had been singing about me or not.
That was after I’d given them the abridged version of our relationship. I’d arrived in seventh grade. In eighth grade, I’d asked June to the homecoming dance, and we’d been a couple from then until the August after graduation. Their grandpa had gotten sick, I’d stayed behind, and I’d realized my place was in Bourbon Canyon and June’s was in Nashville.
They had asked why I couldn’t have moved with June. I’d told them Grandpa had needed me. Then Wren. They’d been satisfied with that.
When they’d asked why I’d never told them, I hadn’t thrown their mother under the bus and blamed her for wanting zero pictures of June under the roof. Nomemorabilia, no reminiscing, no mention of my ex. Even June’s songs were banned. I couldn’t blame Kirstin, and I’d respected her feelings. I’d told them I didn’t talk about June because I thought it might be disrespectful to their mom.
I’d also been happy to bury my memories.
June was due in five minutes and the girls had reignited their inquisition about song lyrics.
“Who was she jealous of in ‘Emerald Rain’?” Bethany pressed.
It didn’t matter how many times I refused to answer. They kept asking. I also hadn’t answered whether I was the guy who’d left her boarding a plane, heartbroken and devastated in “Cowboy Wish Me Home.”
