Page 49 of Changing Lanes

“I can take you,” Brannon answers sincerely.

I take him up on it, standing, I motion for him to lead the way. “Please, educate me.”

Thayer’s laughter roars as we walk out the door. “She gonna be okay?” Brannon asks.

“She’s fine. My car? Don’t want any stalkers.” I nudge him as we walk out the door.

“Sure.” He gives me his freaky side eyes.

“You drive, your town.” I toss him my keys.

Starting the SUV, he asks, “Are we really going to look at tractors?”

I laugh through my answer, “No.” He backs up and pulls away.

“So, we can go somewhere else?” He looks over at me.

“We can.” I smile before frowning. “Where are we going?” He laughs and continues to drive.

Brannon takes us to Silvercoast Winery. It’s beautiful, set just off the coast of Ocean Isle Beach. We order a bottle of Chardonnay and walk to the beach.

“Every time I’m with you, I feel the need to apologize. I’m sorry for the other night, I let things get outta hand.” Brannon glances at me, trying to get a feel for me.

“I’m an adult, Brannon. I didn’t do a thing I didn’t want to do. But that doesn’t mean we should do it again.” I stop as the surf wets my feet.

“Me too. Not so sure about not doing it again, but I’ll approach the topic later.” He chuckles which makes me giggle. “So, how goes the company?”

Is he asking me this? “Good. I’m ready to be CEO. My father’s retiring soon.” I smile at him about my soon to be position.

“What? You’re not CEO?” He frowns, looking adorable. The ‘V’ forms between his eyes.

“When my father retires, I’ll be head of the company. I’m his Chief of Operations now.” I thought I told him this.

“You’re not already running Harrington Holdings?” His face is red as he stands there like stone. Why the hell is he so mad?

“No. You know my father is running it.” I turn to him, needing to know what’s on his mind. “What are you saying?”

“I just assumed he was as overbearing as ever.” He shakes his head. “I thought you were CEO or president, and he still ran it.”

“Why would you think that?” I’m dumbfounded.

“He told me he was making you the head of his company when you graduated. He said you needed to marry well so your husband could help. That you agreed to this for the company. I told him he was full of shit and waited for you to call. You never did, so I thought he told me the truth. Until you showed up without a ring.” He glares at my finger, then back at me.

“What does it matter what he told you about me? You picked your poison.” I spin around, walking back up the beach. “I’m done, take me home.”

Brannon chases me up the sand. “How do you know what I chose? You’ve never listened to anyone but him.”

Turning on him, I unload. “I texted you that night. I called, I didn’t leave a message. You had every chance to tell me your side, so don’t you dare blame all of this on him or me.” Spinning, I walk through the doors of the Winery and out to the car.

The drive home is quiet. He stares at the road; I sightsee out my window. The radio starts playing ‘Hate you, Love you’ by Olivia O’Brien. It’s true, being this close to him is killing me. I do, I hate him, but telling my heart that is impossible.