He put distance between him and Lane, but the damage was done. Seeds of doubt sprang to life in his mind, but he kept his thoughts to himself as he opened the passenger door to his truck and waited for Suzy to climb inside before slamming it shut and rounding the hood to the driver’s side.
Maybe Lane was right. He wasn’t good enough for Suzy and never would be.
13
Suzy wasn’t sure what the heck she’d interrupted between Duke and her brother, but whatever transpired between them left him in one hell of a mood. She kept her mouth closed as he made the familiar turns into town. A makeshift blockade stretched across the road that led to the town square.
“Sonofabitch,” Duke muttered. “What the hell’s that about?”
“Everything’s blocked off for the Winter Rodeo,” she said. “Things are being set up in the streets and sidewalks. No vehicles can get through unless it’s to bring in materials needed for booths and the ice rink.”
“That’ll be fun for you.” He shot her a tight smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Usually is. I don’t mind parking a block away for a few days. All the festivities and people watching make it worth the slight inconvenience. Not to mention all the yummy food. I hope I don’t have to miss it this year.”
Duke turned into a small lot for public parking and pulled into a spot. “If I have anything to say about it, you won’t miss out on a damn thing.”
“Will it be safe?”
He shifted his attention out the windshield and sighed. “Do you trust me?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“No, I’m not kidding.”
“I wouldn’t be sitting here with you if I didn’t.” Frowning, she followed his gaze and found nothing but the back of an old brick building. “What happened with you and Lane?”
“Nothing,” he said, shutting off the engine. “Let’s go.”
She refused to move. “Not until you tell me what put you in this mood.”
“Seriously?” He huffed out a humorless laugh. “Maybe I’m a little pissed that my sister’s laying in a hospital bed and another woman I care about is in danger and it’s all because of my poor choices. Or could be that I thought I’d handled this only for my past to swoop in and slap me in the face again.”
“All of those things are true, but they were true back in that hospital room where you took my hand and comforted me, let me comfort you. That stick didn’t get lodged in there until after you left the room to make a phone call. So either something happened on the call to your family or with my brother. My money’s on Lane.”
Bracing his hands on either side of the steering wheel, he hung his head. “Does it really matter?”
“To me it does, because if Lane said something stupid, I’ll have to kick his ass.”
He chuckled, and this time it was laced with amusement. “I’m sure you’d give him a run for his money.”
“I have before, and I’ll do it again. What did he say?”
Finally, Duke turned to face her. “He thinks I’ll hurt you.”
The sadness in his voice crushed her, but she didn’t reach out to him. Didn’t offer a soothing touch. Not yet. Because if there was a chance of anything developing between them, she needed him to really hear her. No distractions. No excuses. No bullshit.
“Do you think you’ll hurt me?”
He shrugged. “I don’t want to.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Again, he shrugged.
“Listen, we’re both adults. We understand things happen sometimes that are beyond our control, including starting relationships that don’t last. But if we care about each other and respect each other, then we understand that no matter how things turn out, neither of us did a damn thing without the best of intentions. So I guess the real question is, what are your intentions?”
The ghost of a smile cracked the tight set of his lips. “I feel like I should be having this conversation with one of your parents.”
