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“Gina?” Melda stood on the other side of the fire. “You all right?”
“Fine.” She straightened, brushing her hands on her jeans. “Everyone be ready to leave in an hour.”
“What happened??
? Amberleigh appeared stuck on that question.
“Why’d you send Teo away?” Ashleigh asked. “He was the only man worth talkin’ to round here.”
“Hey,” Tim said.
Ashleigh flipped her hand dismissively. “Oh, don’t get your panties in a bunch. You’re okay, but I’m not stepmama material. Especially for a boy that close to my age.”
“Stepmama?” Derek repeated, more intrigued than horrified.
“I thought you were graduating from college,” Tim said.
“So?”
“Aren’t you going to get a job before you get married?”
“Why on earth would I do somethin’ like that?”
“What happened?” This time Amberleigh stomped her foot and put her hands on her hips. Maybe that worked with other people, but it just made Gina want to turn a hose on her.
“Pack up. Deal with your mount. Or so help me—” Gina took one step toward Amberleigh, and the girl ran.
She should feel bad about that, but she didn’t.
Everyone got busy and left her alone. She’d done the job for so long it was second nature and she could go about preparing breakfast, packing her tent, and saddling her horse without having to think too much.
Because all she could think about was what an idiot she’d been.
She’d wondered why Teo was so interested in her so fast—or at all—but she’d been captivated by him just as quickly. She’d thought because there was something special between them, something she’d never felt before. But he’d manufactured those feelings the same way he’d manufactured his name and his background.
Her head went up as another thought crowded in. His interest in her photography had all been bullshit, too. Gina took a shaky breath, embarrassed at how much his words of praise had meant to her. He’d only wanted to find out the location of that cursed photograph.
She was tempted to remove her camera from her pack and leave it behind a rock somewhere, then never take another picture again. But photography was the one thing she had that was hers, something she did just for herself. She couldn’t give it up, even though she had a feeling that every time she lifted her camera from now on she’d remember him.
While the others ate breakfast, Gina stepped into the trees and tried to get herself under control. She couldn’t ride a horse, even Lady Belle, with her hands shaking this badly. And she wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on her guests or give them the nature tour she’d planned for the day if she couldn’t speak past the tears in her throat.
Hadn’t she promised she’d show one of them a bear?
Crap. That had been Teo. Well, since she was never going to see him again as long as she lived, she wouldn’t have to worry about that.
Her laughter came out sounding like a silly sob, and she drew in a breath that hitched in the middle.
“Stop it,” she ordered, wringing her hands together so tightly they ached.
Teo was gone. She would forget about him. His questions. His secrets. His lies.
And that damn photograph? She’d try to forget it, but really …
How could she ever forget the place where her parents had died?
* * *
“I’m not getting on that,” Matt protested.
