“Yes,” she agreed, letting out a startled laugh. “We’re going to need a vacation to recover from this one.”
“I should’ve known that you guys would be scent-matches,” I said, shaking my head. “How could you not be?
“Wait, what about Coach?” she questioned.
I shook my head and winced. He wasdefinitelynot my type.
“No. He smells like pack. I got a faint hint of his scent earlier, but nothing that made me react the way I do to you.”
We both let out a breath and glanced at the delta waiting for us. He didn’t say a word, simply held the door, giving us a private moment.
“Are you sure you’re ready to face this now? He’s waiting.”
“I’ve been waiting a really fucking long time to tell him what he did to me.” In the back of my mind, I knew that it was unfair to put this much on him. It wasn’t his fault alone, but I couldn’t seem to face the fact that maybe it wasmewho had driven him away.
I didn’t do enough to make sure that he felt secure in our relationship. He needed me not to hide him and I wasn’t ready. I was still too afraid to let my family go.
We had the illusion that if we wanted something badly enough, then it would just happen for us. That we shouldn’t have to work hard to make things work out.
How wrong we were.
We walked through the halls toward the lobby. The silence between us was downright painful. It was loaded, like a ticking time bomb, each second bringing us closer to an explosion.
A soft bark had Greer picking up his pace, some of the tension in his shoulders easing as he moved closer to the sound.
He knocked on a door just outside the lobby. The barks grew louder, and then a big ball of black-and-brown fluff launched itself at him.
He caught the puppy, nuzzling into its neck and giving it attention before turning to the woman waiting on the other side of the door.
“How did he do?”
“Oh, you know Chorizo. Full of energy, but he’s been great,” she promised with a small laugh. “And he’s already had dinner, so it’s about time to get him on a walk.”
She turned around and grabbed something, then handed over the leash.
The ringing in my ears was even louder now.
Chorizo. That name wasmine.
Somehow, I managed to hold it together until we were outside. Then I found myself stepping in front of him without a conscious decision, stopping his walk before it could start.
“Chorizo?” I demanded. The dog barked and hopped toward me as if I called him but I couldn’t look away.
Not for the first time tonight, Greer had the decency to look ashamed.
“I know I should’ve done things differently,” he said, rushing out the words. “I’ve regretted walking away every day since I left that house, and I know that doesn’t mean anything to you now.”
“You’re damn fucking right it doesn’t.” Anger came easier than the hurt. “I got disowned from my family for you. I have been on my own every day for years becauseyouwalked away the day that I told them about us.”
He froze, jaw dropping. “Rylan. I had no idea.”
He looked even more sick than he had the first time.
“Of course, you didn’t, because you didn’t stick around long enough for me to fix things. You just assumed that I wouldn’t. You didn’t give me a chance.”
“No.” His head snapped up, anger and hurt flaring in his face. “You don’t get to say that to me.”
Some of the fight came back to him now, his cheeks darkening with frustration.
