Page 39 of Drifter’s Heart

“Then move your foot.”

It’s my turn to frown as something jabs my boot. I give the door a gentle push open and stare down at Winnie, who’s crouched by my foot, shoving it backward. “What are you doing?”

“Moving your foot. The door needs to shut.” Her breath comes heavy, as though she’s holding in tears.

I press my palm to the barrier she’s placed between us, but don’t push. “Preferably with me on the other side.”

“Uh-uh.” Through the sliver of space, there’s movement. She shakes her head, gives my foot a shove that actually does move it, and stands, victorious. “Sally comes home tomorrow. This has been fun, but it’s one and done, West. Thanks for the date. And the key. Night!” Winnie kicks the door shut, with me still on her doorstep.

“What the hell⁠—”

A moment later, a light flickers on, a glow reflected around the curtains from the inside of her townhouse. I stare at the heavy door that’s shut in my face as water runs on the other side.

At least she got her shower.

We had the perfect day. The perfect date. I rake my fingers through my hair, still staring at her door. Christ, did I hurt her getting her out of the car? Scare her, rush her? Panic at the thought deluges me for a solid three minutes as I count every godforsaken second.

Incredulity slaps me like a secondhand sucker punch. What in the hell just happened, and how on earth do I fix it?

Then realization hits.

Answer: It’s her choice, and I can’t.

Either she’s running from me because it’s too much or… she doesn’t want me. My heart refuses to believe the latter, and I’m terrified of the first option.

No amount of protesting on her doorstep will earn me the resolution that I want. Winnie said one and done. So after my perfect day and her perfect words of not twenty-four hours ago…

I guess we’re done.

Still shaking my head and glancing back over my shoulder at her townhouse, I walk away, sitting my stunned ass in my truck. My heart hasn’t really caught up with the program just yet.

And I wait. Until her lights turn off for the night and silence descends over her quiet street. That’s it. We’re done.

Really done.

Still sitting in a cloud of disbelief, I pull away from the curb and head for my apartment.

We’re done.

THIRTEEN

WINNIE

What Are Regrets?

“Billy let me ride a bull!” Sally launches into my arms as I glare at Cord around her.

“Really?” I feign excitement and mouth what the ever-loving fuck? to my brother.

He holds up his hands in a what can you do relaxed-as-all-hell gesture like the world is all A-okay. Letting out a harsh sigh, I turn him to ash with another glare while he laughs at me.

It’s West’s laugh. They have the same laugh. Goddammit.

I kicked West out, and he left. I meant for him to leave. He had to go before my offspring, my real family, returned and found out another person was in our house. But the separation wasn’t meant to hurt this much.

I was not meant to actually fall in love with him in the space of forty-eight freaking hours. Maybe those seeds were sown a whole lot of years ago.

How desperate have I been for love after all?