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Kenny cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. “Do you want her in your car or my truck?”
I stared at Miles. He wasn’t even going to argue with me. When nothing came out of my mouth, Kenny sighed. “I’ll put her in my truck and you can follow me to her place. Do you have a key to get in?”
Holding up Heather’s clutch, I said, “Again, we’ve made it without you for this long. Put her in my car and I’ll take her home. I don’t need your help, Kenny, just like I don’t need Miles’s help.”
Kenny glanced from me to Miles. When Miles made no effort to do or say anything, Kenny brought Heather to my car. Once she was inside and buckled in, she passed out cold. Miles shut the door and turned to me.
“I didn’t want her getting hurt, Kyns. If I overstepped, I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been in either of your lives, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you…both.”
A lump formed in my throat, and I spoke without thinking. “Everything was fine until you came back, Miles. Things were way less complicated.”
Miles rubbed the back of his neck, and I saw the hurt on his face.
“Okay, then. Be careful driving home, Kynslee.”
Miles headed across the parking lot to his truck.
Kenny leaned down. “Let me know when y’all get back to your place, okay?”’
I nodded but kept my eyes on Miles. “Sure thing, Kenny.”
My heart raced, and I wanted to call out to Miles. To tell him I lied and that I did need him, more than he would ever know. That I’d needed him the past twelve years. Instead, I turned the car on. Glancing over to Heather, I rolled my eyes as she snored.
I watched as Miles pulled out of the parking lot. The realization of what I had said to him caused me to start sobbing.
Finally, I’d hurt him like he had hurt me, and I felt like shit.
Miles
I POURED A glass of whiskey and sat down in the large, oversized chair. I’d moved into the small hunter’s cabin a few days ago when I realized I needed to have my own space or I was about to lose my sanity. I had missed my mother but living with in the farmhouse was beginning to drive me insane. After years of bunking with other Marines, sleeping in strange places, I longed for something that was mine. A space only for me.
The small cabin Rich had built on the farm was perfect. A few years back he’d rented it out for extra income during the hunting season. Now it sat empty, so I was going to take advantage of that. It had two bedrooms on either side of the cabin, and a loft up above. It was also equipped with a large kitchen that was open to the living room, plus one bathroom. Hell, it was more than enough for me.
Sighing, I lifted the glass and downed the drink. It burned my throat and hit my stomach. My plan was to drink until I didn’t feel the pain in my chest anymore. Until I didn’t hear her words repeating in my head.
“Everything was fine until you came back, Miles. Things were way less complicated.”
I reached for the whiskey and poured another glass. The knock on the door startled me and I jumped up, setting the bottle down on the small coffee table.
Fear instantly caused my heart to race, and I hoped like hell everything was okay with Lana.
Throwing open the door, I froze.
“Kynslee?”
Standing before me, soaking wet from the rain, was the woman who had been tormenting my thoughts and dreams the last few weeks. Hell, years, if I was being honest with myself.
“What in the hell are you doing?” I looked past her and didn’t see her car. “Did you walk here or something?”
“I went to the main house and your mother told me you moved into the cabin. So I walked down here and then the rain started, then I got lost and realized this cabin was fairly new, and I’d actually never been here. I’m freezing my ass off out here.”
Snapping out of my shock, I gently pulled her into the room. She was drenched and shaking.
“Let me go grab you something to change into. You’re turning blue.”
She wrapped her arms around her body and nodded. She looked so pale, and I was pretty sure I could hear her teeth chattering.
“Christ Almighty.” I lifted her up, carrying her in my arms to my bedroom. Kynslee buried her face into my chest while her entire body trembled. A cold front had pushed through tonight, causing the temperature to drop drastically. Add the rain and wind on top of that and it was actually cold outside.
“I’m…so…cold,” Kynslee whispered.
“Hold on, baby. I’ll get you warm.”
