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Emmy sat her phone on the counter, instantly nauseous. “Oh.” There was more—there had to be. If there wasn’t, Krystal wouldn’t be so upset. But she was, so there was. She had to force out the word: “And?”
Krystal sucked in a shaky breath. “What Momma said, about the money? It’s true. It looks like Brock and Vanessa put a down payment on a little bungalow outside of Georgetown a few weeks ago.”
“Okay.” Keep breathing. He’d said he wanted to talk to her; now she knew why. “That’s why he’s here?” To tell her before she saw the news?
“He’s here?” Krystal turned dark red. “What can I do? Tell me, because right now, I just want to hurt him. It’s not just that he’s hurt you, again, but he proved Momma right.”
Emmy Lou’s laugh stuck in her throat. About the money. “I was the one who wanted to keep our relationship a secret, not him. Because of Momma—I didn’t want her to ruin things.”
“I bet he didn’t argue with you, did he?” Krystal shook her head.
“Sorry, sorry I’m late.” Travis came in, breathless. “Just got the 911 text.” He leaned against the wall, frowning. “What’s the plan? Sawyer and I can beat the shit out of him?”
Emmy held up her hands. “I can’t be mad at him, can I? I mean, we never said anything about not dating other people or…or… I can’t be mad at him.”
“You can too.” Krystal pushed up from the table. “The down payment was made before San Francisco, Em.”
San Francisco. When he’d acted like he cared and held her close and she’d believed him enough to bare her soul. That hurt.
“We figured you should know before someone asks you about it at tonight’s meet-and-greet.” Travis sighed. “Better prepared than blindsided, am I right?”
“I am mad,” she murmured, carrying her glass to the kitchen counter. She had to move, had to do something. “I’m also confused.” He’d said “us,” hadn’t he? Acted like there was the possibility of them becoming an “us.” But he’d been making long-term plans with Vanessa… She wasn’t sure what was worse: that the person he was willing to commit to wasn’t her or that he was willing to sleep with her when he was making a commitment to someone else. Buying a house was a commitment.
They were all staring at her, waiting.
Thoughts and questions rushed in on her. What was the point? “I know you’re always going on about sex, Travis, and now that I’ve actually had it, I kind of see where you’re coming from. But, for me, it was because it was Brock.” She tugged her robe together. “It mattered because I love him. I’ve always loved him.” Her throat closed off. “I thought… Well, it doesn’t matter what I thought. I was wrong. What is wrong with me?”
“Nothing, Emmy Lou.” Jace shook his head.
“What is wrong with him?” There was no hiding Krystal’s disgust.
“I’m really trying to be supportive here, I am.” Travis ran both hands over his face. “But did I hear you right, Em? You never slept with anyone before?”
“I swear, Travis, now is not the time.” Krystal looked ready to jump down Travis’s throat. “Can you try to be remotely sensitive to your sister?”
“I am. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like such a bastard. I gave you all sorts of shit about this. Sex is…well, it’s sex. To me. I didn’t realize how important it was to you.” He managed to look her in the eye. “And, Em, I have to admit, I have a whole hell of a lot of respect for you right now.”
Emmy Lou turned. “Why? I did it anyway. I caved. And jumped him.”
“I’m not prepared to hear you say those words ever.” Travis closed his eyes and shook his head. “I am, however, fully prepared to go remove his nuts.”
Emmy was so startled, she laughed.
Travis crossed the room and tugged her in for a hug. “He’s a fucker. A big mountain of shit. An asshole who doesn’t deserve you. He’s a—”
“I get it.” She buried her face against her brother’s shirtfront.
“I’m not saying I’ll do it. But Sawyer will,” Trav
is murmured against the top of her head. “Am I right, Sawyer?”
“Yeah.” It was one word—but it was enough.
“Thank you, Sawyer.” She turned her head to see Sawyer. He stood, tense, fully prepared to come to her defense. And she loved him for it.
“Just so you know, Momma made a sound I have never heard before.” Travis sighed, his arms easing. “She took one look at that article, saw those pictures, and screamed—basically. Sort of. It was like a scream-groan-cussword thing. Daddy about dropped his cup of coffee.”
“Pictures?” Emmy Lou looked up at her brother. “What pictures?”
