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Kyle didn’t want to answer that question.
She turned, levelling a far too insightful gaze at him. “When did you break up exactly?”
“Two years ago.”
“At Christmas?”
“In November.”
“Around my dad’s funeral.”
His heart was pounding in his chest. This wasn’t how this conversation was supposed to go. “Yes, but…”
“What happened?”
“I’m not hung up on you. I promise you that. There’s a part of me that will always love the Laney I used to date, and I obviously like the Laney that you’ve become, but I’m not confused about what’s possible and what’s not.”
“What happened?” She didn’t look mad, but she was guarded in a way he hadn’t seen since she’d first come over the other day. Giggling, teasing Laney had left the building.
He took a deep breath. “The night of the funeral. I got drunk after I saw you. I don’t really do that anymore. I had a few wild years after you left, and then I put that behind me. So Crystal had never seen me blitzed. She didn’t like it. And I was rambling on about how I should have seized the opportunity to talk to you, tell you that I forgave you for leaving—”
“Excuse me?” She flared with anger and he reached out to calm her.
“—which I realize now is ridiculous and all on me, I promise. But I was rambling, and then we were fighting. We never fought. We had a simple, easy life together, and then in one big bang it was over. I don’t even remember exactly what was said, but I slept on the couch and the next day she boxed up everything I owned and kicked me out.”
“This is all just … too weird. And why am I involved exactly?”
“You’re the golden girl of Wardham, didn’t you know that? The fancy doctor.” He grinned, hoping that she’d take his teasing as an olive branch. “The town took that opportunity to rehash how I broke your heart. I got a bit defensive at first, I admit, but then I realized they were right.”
“I had no idea. My mom...my sister...they didn’t say anything. I would have thought everyone would have forgotten about me.”
He took a chance and stepped forward to pull her against his chest. “Impossible to forget you, Laney.” He kissed her head. “Now, you have to go before your mother figures out what we’ve been doing. Please tell me that you’re still coming over on Boxing Day.”
She took her time responding. She squeezed her lips together and opened the front door. Backlit by sunlight, all he could see was wisps of blond hair and a face in shadow. Kyle felt an unexpected pressure in his chest. He should have come clean fully the other day, instead of letting his dick take over.
“This would be a lot for anyone to deal with,” she said in a quick breath. “Luckily I think emotions are overrated. And you’re fantastic in the sack, so yeah, you’ll see me again.”
And with that she was gone. Kyle thought he heard a little giggle as the door clicked shut, but it was probably wishful thinking.
The farmhouse was empty when Laney returned, a small miracle for which she would be eternally thankful. Evie had propped a note next to the kettle, explaining that she had taken the boys sledding, and they’d be home at noon. She glanced at the clock and decided to put some soup on for lunch, a gesture that was much appreciated when two frosty little boys bustled in twenty minutes later.
“Isn’t Mom with you?”
Evie shook her head. “She popped over to Ted’s with some cookies. I thought she’d be back by now.”
Laney notched one eyebrow at her sister, who rolled her eyes. “What? It’s possible. It’s been two years. I’m not saying they’re in love, but she’s a beautiful woman with lots of life still to live.”
“Bite your tongue, Laney. Besides, I think there were a bunch of them meeting over there.”
“Them?”
“There’s an informal group of older single people, they play bridge and gossip.”
“Hot stuff.”
Evie laughed. “Don’t make fun, we’re not far off from that ourselves.”
It was Laney’s turn to roll her eyes now, and without thinking, she said, “I can think of a number of better things to do with a willing and able man.”
