Page 13 of Summer Ride

Her haunting blue eyes were sometimes filled with sadness for no apparent reason. Or so he’d thought. That was until he stopped believing all the lies that she had told him about her perfect family and wonderful younger years.

It didn’t take him long to realize she was keeping the truth from him. Within that first year of being together, he knew without a doubt that she was hiding or running from some sort of darkness.

About the only truth she’d given him was that she’d moved there from Tennessee. It was too obvious in the sweet sound of her voice to hide.

The part that killed him was that, after five years together, he hadn’t been able to slip past her defenses, not even one inch.

Whenever he’d tried to find out more about her, she’d block his questions, usually pushing him out the door while she was at it.

Thankfully, she always took him back.

This time, however, was different. This time, he had decided to remain strong. The hurt of her keeping herself from him had become unbearable. It was killing him to be apart from her for so long, but at least he knew that she hadn’t been seeing anyone else.

Just the thought of trying to date again turned his stomach.

He was quickly approaching his thirtieth birthday, and his internal clock was ticking like a freaking bomb.

He wanted to settle down, have kids, and a life with the woman he loved. Everything his friends were enjoying.

He’d tried several times to tell Kara how he felt about her and about his dreams of their future, but she’d just pull one of her vanishing acts.

If she didn’t trust him after all this time, then he couldn’t wager his heart that she would ever trust him. That knowledge broke his heart.

He made it through his days by letting his work fill the void where Kara had been as much as possible.

A few weeks back, he had started volunteering more of his free time at Alaqua Animal Refuge. And he was still working his hours at the clinic in town and at the camp.

Basically, he did anything while at River Camps to avoid bumping into Kara. Well, almost anything.

Whenever his friends requested he hang out, he knew that she’d be there. The only reason he tagged along was to make sure he still felt the same way about her and to see her eyes heat when she looked at him.

Tonight, however, was different. For the first time in years, he’d arranged to go out on a date. An actual date with someone other than the woman that had consumed his mind for the past several years.

He knew it was going to be a disaster, but he had to at least try to get out there again. To see if he could.

He wanted to cancel.

He could lie.

Text the woman that he had an emergency at the clinic or something.

Shit.

His conscience just wouldn’t let him do that.

He was just putting on the nice outfit that he’d pulled out from the back of his closet and glanced down at his phone when it chimed.

It was a group text from Mr. Bo.

“911 at the camp.”

He knew that someone else still on the campgrounds would handle whatever emergency had come up. He was just setting down the phone when another text came in.

“It’s Kara.”

He stared at the phone for a full two seconds before racing to finish pulling on the first clothes that he found. Then he flew out the door.

He made it to the camp from his place in less than five minutes. He parked by her car and bolted down the dark pathways to the main building, hoping that she was there.