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“You’ve never been a good liar, but in this case I think you might be lying to yourself more than me. You can carry on with your twisted relationship, but don’t come crying to me when it ends. Conner Maguire isn’t a good person, and you’re about to find out the hard way.”
A chill ran over her arms that had nothing to do with the cool breeze of evening. Her brother had always been there for her, looked out for her, but now he wouldn’t stand by her.
“I wish you would be honest with yourself. You were so focused on proving you were good enough for Mariah, but the truth is she wasn’t good enough for you. She cared for you so little that she used your best friend to break up with you and destroyed your friendship.”
Parker turned back to his work bench. “We’ll never know how they ended up in bed together, but I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Will I still see you at the gala?”
“Of course. I’m not going to back down from my responsibilities just because my ex-best friend will be there.”
It felt like he was saying more, but she didn’t want to press him. Did that mean he didn’t see her as the enemy, or that he didn’t feel any tie to her now? She knew he needed time and she needed to figure out what to do next. Conner was expecting to take her to his parents’ house, but there was no way she could go. Whatever was happening between them had to end, and the sooner she ended it, the better.
When she pulled into her driveway, she found Conner waiting on her doorstep.
Her shoulders slumped. Could she really break her own heart and give up the one man she’d always needed? But if she carried on with him, it would only drive a bigger wedge between her and her family. First Parker, but soon her two other brothers would choose a side.
Getting out of her car and walking up the short path to the steps felt like heading into a war where she was already defeated.
“You don’t look like someone ready to eat this amazing chocolate truffle cake surrounded by my nosy family,” Conner said from his seat on the bench.
Oh, that handsome smile.
His right upper arm looked puffy, and the telltale bandage under his sleeve gave away the fact that he’d been injured.
“How’s your arm?”
“Fine. Why are you stalling? Did you change your mind about going with me?”
Heaving a breath, she forced herself to meet his eyes.
“I just met with Parker. He asked me if I was seeing you, and I couldn’t lie to him. He was disappointed and convinced you’ll hurt me just like you hurt him.”
“And?”
“And I defended you, but he believes what he wants.”
“No, what does this mean for me, for us?”
“Is there an us? Can there be an us if it turns my entire family against me?”
Conner sat still with no emotion on his face, no sign of what he was thinking. He simply waited for her to tell him her thoughts.
“I can’t lose my family. I won’t.”
Conner nodded. “Will Parker’s decision to cut you off result in your entire family disowning you? That seems a bit extreme.”
“It’ll be more like shunning me. All my brothers will keep me at arm’s length. Worse, my father will be stuck in the middle and try to keep the peace.”
Standing, Conner closed the few steps between them before leaning down to place his mouth only inches from hers. She was forced to look into his eyes.
“I won’t force you to choose like he is. I love you too much to hurt you. But that doesn’t mean I’m not upset that you wouldn’t choose us. You don’t want to fight for us like I do. You can’t make every decision in life based on how your brother will feel about it.”
His mouth brushed hers in the gentlest kiss before he walked back down the steps. Tears rolled down her cheeks in big fat drops. She was forced to watch him leave. If he loved her, would he really walk away?
But all she’d done was push him away, even when she wanted to believe him. The pain she’d seen in his eyes was a mirror of her own feelings.
He loved her, and she had to let him go.
