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“A fisherman?”
“Well, he used to be at least. I suppose he spends much of his time now being mayor of Placid.”
Her brows shot up. “Mayor?”
His glance slid back to her face. “Ya.”
“That’s impressive.”
His frown deepened. “I suppose.”
“He must be a very distinguished man to be elected to that post?”
Ryan stared at her a long while before saying, “You seem awfully interested in my brother. Do you know him?”
“No, of course not.” She was certain her cheeks turned a fiery pink. “I was just, uh, trying to get to know you better.”
He chuckled. “By asking about my brother?”
“That’s not it.” She turned aside, unable to stand the intense look he was giving her.
“It’s all right, Evelina. I said I was an open book. I just thought you would be interested in my book, is all.”
“Oh, I am.” She blurted out a little too fast.
“You could have fooled me.”
“Your family is a part of you.”
He frowned. “What is it you really want to know?”
She closed her eyes and wished she could turn back the clock and seal her mouth shut. But she had come this far and if she was ever going to learn more about Ryan, she had better begin by not running away from sensitive questions that could possibly make him uncomfortable.
“Is it true you were engaged to his wife?” She spat out. “You know, before they were married, obviously.”
He sighed heavily and relaxed back on the blanket, watching her closely. “Is that what this is all about?”
Baffled at how nonchalant he sounded, she turned back to him. “I have a right to know if you’ve been engaged previously.”
“You do, do you? How’s that?” He actually looked amused, which made Evelina suddenly angry.
“Well, if you wish to court me and, and, uh, eventually want to, um, marry me.”
The smile on his face vanished. The teasing glint in his eye gone. “All right.”
He sat back up and Evelina had a sudden attack of nerves. Maybe she didn’t want to hear this. Maybe hearing how much he loved this other woman, was devastated at her betrayal, and was still reeling in pain from it to this day would be unbearable. She wasn’t entirely sure she could stand to hear him confess such raw emotions for another woman.
“I’m sorry, you don’t have to. I shouldn’t have asked. It’s none of my business.”
“No, it’s all right. I suppose you should hear this,” he responded, then began, “There’s not much to say, really. Yes, it’s true. We were a couple. For many years. I suppose we became a habit for one another. Everyone expected us to marry.”
He paused.
“But as the years passed it was becoming obvious we wanted different things. She liked the sense of being part of a community whereas I dreamed of the sea. I think she tried to convince herself she wanted what I wanted, but in the end what she really needed was family, stability, a home.”
Evelina frowned.
“I couldn’t offer her any of those things. Whereas Jay could.” His gaze drifted toward the distance where the Detroit River was barely visible through the trees. “I would never have been able to make her happy. We both would have been miserable together. I could never give up my lifestyle to make her happy and she would have resented me if I took her away from hers.”
