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She went limp in his arms, and he stepped backward carefully, keenly aware that one misstep on his part might send them hurtling down the mountain. When they were finally on firm, flat ground, he set her gently on her feet.
“C’mon,” he said gruffly, grabbing up their belongings and stuffing them in his pack. “We’re done here.”
Bryn lifted her chin. “I’ll find my own way back,” she said. And she turned away and started down the mountain while he stood with his mouth open, watching, incredulous, as she did just that.
His temper boiled. He lunged after her, closing the distance in four long strides. He grabbed her arm, trying to keep a lid on his fury and losing the battle. “Don’t be an idiot.”
When she stopped dead, he had to pull up short to avoid knocking her over. He expected her eyes to be shooting sparks at him, but if she had been angry earlier, that emotion was long gone. Her eyes were dull. “Are you keeping count of those insults, Mr. Sinclair?” She jerked her elbow from his grasp and kept going.
They walked side by side, traversing the wide trail in silence. He noticed for the first time that she was limping slightly. No doubt the result of a blister from not having the proper footwear for the rough terrain. Stubborn woman. He ground to a halt and stopped her, as well, by the simple action of thrusting his body in front of hers. He put his hands on her shoulders, feeling her fragile bones. “You can’t walk back to the house. It’s almost five miles. You’re not wearing hiking boots.”
Her eyes were wet with unshed tears. “I don’t care,” she cried. “Leave me alone.”
“I wish to God I could,” he muttered. As they reached the Jeep, he reached in his pocket and extracted his handkerchief. “You’ve got some dirt on your face. Let’s call a truce, Bryn. Please. For twenty minutes. That’s how long it will take us to get home.”
Bryn knew what it was like to have your heart broken. But the blow-up that happened six years ago paled in comparison to the utter despair now flooding her chest. Jesse’s lies had been worse than she thought. He had poisoned his brother’s mind so thoroughly, Bryn had no hope of making Trent see the truth.
While he maneuvered the vehicle over the rough trails, she ignored him. They completed the journey back to the house in silence. Without speaking, Trent dropped her by the front door before heading around back to the garage.
Bryn tried to slip inside unnoticed, but Mac caught her sneaking down the hall past the kitchen. Julio had left, and Mac was fixing himself a cup of coffee.
His bushy eyebrows went up. “What in the hell happened to you, Brynnie? You look like something the cat dragged in.”
Hearing the affectionate nickname stung her battered heart. She opened her mouth to explain, but was overtaken by a wave of grief. “Trent thinks I seduced Jesse,” she said on a hiccupping half sob. “He’ll never forgive me.”
And then she broke down. Her body was sore, her feet rubbed raw, her emotions shredded. When Mac enfolded her in his big arms, she put her head on his shoulder and sighed. She hadn’t realized until this very moment what a hole there had been in her life without his wise counsel and unconditional love.
He held her in silence for a few minutes, and then they went to his study and sat side by side on the oversize leather sofa.
Mac studied her face. “Talk to me, girl. Are you okay?”
Bryn managed a smile. “I’m fine…really. All I need is a shower and some clean clothes.”
Then she bit her lip. “We’re going to have to settle some things, Mac. I don’t want to be away from Allen much longer. You’re recovering on schedule. I know the grief is tough, but physically you’re doing well. With lots of rest and healthy food, you’ll be back to your old ornery self in no time. But I can’t be here with Trent. It’s an impossible situation.” And with Jesse’s parentage now in question her quest to secure Allen’s future might be a moot point.
Mac leaned back, his arms folded across his chest. “It’s my house,” he said gruffly. “I invite whom I please.”
She shook her head in desperation. “You don’t understand what he thinks of me, Mac.”
