“It was none of your business!”
“I’m your husband! How the hell is that not my business?”
“You’re mytemporaryhusband,” I pointed out, and my fertility issue wasforever.
“So we don’t mean anything to each other?” he demanded. “Is that what you’re saying? You should have told me.”
I shook my head. “So you could toss me aside or upgrade me for a better model once you realized that being with me might come with complications?”
“Toss you aside?” He scowled. “Jesus, Lena. It’s like you don’t know me at all.”
“I’m saying thatbecauseI know you so damn well,” I shot back. “I’ve had a front-row seat to your dating history these past seven years. The second things become a little complicated, you bail.”
“That’s not true.”
He couldn’t be this obtuse. I lifted my hand, grasping for answers in the air. “The second Narissa started showing that she wasn’t some emotionless robot, that she was an actual human who might haverealfeelings for you instead of being a perfect-on-paper cut-out of a fiancée, you couldn’t get out of your engagement fast enough.”
“Youknowwhy that was,” he growled.
“Because she was hard to love,” I said.
“Because she lied.”
“And she had feelings you weren’t prepared to reciprocate.” He glared at me.
“You’re just as bad as Narissa,” Weston said, his words striking me hard, making me gasp. “Hiding the truth from me. Pretending to be something you’re not.”
My chest ached hearing the words said out loud. The shock and grief at finding out my ability to have children was gone in the crash of two vehicles slammed into me again, and I flashed on Derek making his excuses to break up with me. He’d been surprisingly nicer than when Beckett broke it off in college telling me I was damaged goods and not marriage material. He’d even laughed when I’d mentioned adoption, stating he didn’t want ownership of someone else’s problems.Ownership!Any hope I’d had that Weston might see me and the situation differently went up in flames.
I bit down on my tongue to keep from sobbing. Anger and pain and grief swirled through me, but it was sharper now. Because with Weston, I’d really…Well, it didn’t matter what I’d felt. Not anymore.
“I thought you were someone I could trust,” Weston said, his words hard, clipped.Mean. “But it turns out you’re just a liar and a fraud. What the hell was I thinking, marrying you?”
“I don’t know, saving your grandfather’s legacy?” I snapped, clinging onto the anger to keep from crying. I never wanted to marry him in the first place. I never wanted to care about himthismuch. “But thankfully, it’s easily remedied!”
He snorted.
“I’ve more than fulfilled the terms of our arrangement,” I said, matter-of-fact. “I married you. I came to Braeburn. Put on a good show for everyone. Helped you pull together this festival. Pete’s affairs are in order, and the committee is handling the rest of the festival. You have Lochbrae and a path to your precious business deal.”
His lips twisted. “And?”
“And I’m going home.” I turned and walked away from him, heading for the stairs to pack my things, not even flinching when the massive front doors slammed behind me.
24
WESTON
Itrudged across the estate to the cattle shed. A band of dark, billowing clouds had gathered over the coastline, a low rumble of thunder echoing in the distance. Wind rustled through the thistles along the fence. A nasty storm was brewing. That felt appropriate.
Was it really just a few hours ago when everything had seemed so sunny and bright? It felt like a million years had passed since this morning, when Lena and I had gotten into the car to head to the festival. She’d been chattering away about the dozens of things that still needed to be done, and I’d caught only one word in three because I was so lost in the way the light caught her hair.
Who the hell were those people? Because I certainly didn’t recognize either of them. How could so much go so wrong in such a short amount of time?
Thunder rumbled again, closer. I tried not to replay the conversation with Lena in my head, but the confusion and frustration inside me refused to be silenced. I’d gone through this with my parents. They were constantly at each other’sthroats with one transgression after another, pointing fingers, doing their outright best to make the other as miserable as possible. When Narissa had started making demands, it was as if I had walked into a similar situation, and I knew I needed to get out before we said “I do.”
I turned up the path, flinging open the door of the cattle shed just as a light rain began to fall, pinging off the metal roof.
I stalked down the main aisle, the smell of manure and damp straw intense. It wasn’t until I heard a soft moo that I paused, turning my head in time to watch Arran dash across the pen toward the gate, looking for a wee scratch.
