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Stop it.
Her heart was already breaking. Wishing for something that would never happen would only make it harder to do what she had to do for his sake.
Chapter Forty-Five
He was done. A man could only handle so much rejection before his heart decided enough was enough. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to worry about her, like this morning when he’d come downstairs to find Skye was gone. Since everything she owned was also gone from the guest bedroom, she wasn’t coming back. Apparently, he wasn’t important enough to even get a note saying it’s been fun or whatever.
Tristan sat at the kitchen island, hunched over his coffee as he tried to temper his anger. The woman had no business taking off on her own when she had dangerous men gunning for her. If Kade was home, Tristan would have him shadow Skye. His brother could be a ghost when he wanted. She’d never know he was tailing her.
Parker walked in after taking Everly to school. “Morning.”
Tristan grunted.
“What rained on your parade? Or should I say who?”
“The who would be right.” He’d missed her in his bed. Why couldn’t she see it was where she belonged? He knew why she was pushing him away. It was a misguided attempt to protect him from the fallout of the gossip that would spread like a wildfire thanks to Mason. Skye was a smart woman, but in this she was being just plain stubborn. Tristan wanted to shake some sense into her. With him by her side, they could stare down anyone who dared point a finger at her.
Parker brought his smoothie to the island. “Marion Benetti cornered me when I was dropping off Everly. She wanted to know if it was true that the sheriff was dirty.”
The anger he’d calmed somewhat amped up again. He added Marion Benetti to his list of people he was going to make miserable. “What’d you say?”
“I told her I was pretty sure the sheriff bathed every day.”
Tristan snorted. “Good answer.”
“Where’s Skylar? She’s usually down here having coffee with us.”
“Beats me. She’s gone. Took all her stuff with her.”
“And she didn’t say anything? She was here this morning. Everly said they had a picnic under the magnolia tree.”
“Not a word. She spooked.”
“How so?”
“Fucking Mason ran his mouth at the Kitchen last night when we were there.” He told Parker what Mason had said. “I messed up.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I was furious with Mason for running his mouth, and instead of staying with Skye to face everyone, I chased after him. When I got back to the restaurant, she was gone.”
“And you what? Just came home and cried in your beer?”
“No, I did not. I found her at Earl’s. We talked, and she said we were over. She thinks the town is going to turn on her, and she’s protecting me. She doesn’t want me to be guilty by association.”
“I have to respect her for that, but she’s wrong. You don’t need protecting. So what now?”
“Now I take Fuzz to her. That’s providing she’s at the sheriff’s office. Then I pass the word to all her deputies and my officers to keep an eye on her. I wish those men from Florida would show their faces so we can put an end to their threats.”
“And then you’ll go after your girl?”
“Why? So she can push me away like she’s done for the past year? She wasn’t willing to fight for us, and I can’t go down that road again.” Someday, this pain in his chest would stop hurting. He prayed that was true. And when his eyes burned with unshed tears, he squeezed them shut. He didn’t want to cry in front of his brother.
Parker came to him and wrapped his arms around him. “You know, men are allowed to cry. I did.”
As if his heart had been given permission to mourn, he pressed his face against Parker’s shoulder and let the tears come. “Sorry,” he said a few minutes later.
“What good’s a brother if you can’t slobber all over his shirt? Just don’t make a habit of it.”
As Parker intended him to do, he laughed. “Promise.” He grabbed a paper towel and wiped his face. “You ever going to tell us what happened in France that made you cry?”
“Someday, when it doesn’t hurt so much to talk about it.”
