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“Not how you think. Yes, you were more than I could handle sometimes, but that was on me. I was afraid of how it would affect my standing in the community and my bank account. All poor excuses. You don’t know how often I have missed your ‘too much.’”
“It’s doesn’t matter now. You can leave.” The vulnerability of the situation was starting to affect me.
He reached out and ran a finger down my cheek, leaving a trail of sparks. “It matters. You matter.”
I spat out a sarcastic laugh. “Just go, Tristan. We’re not doing this.”
“Why not?”
“Because I only came back for Quinn. And despite being a doctor now, this town and your parents still think I’m just trash from the other side of the lake. Nothing has changed. You wrecked me, and I won’t let you do that again.” I stood and brushed the snow off my pants, shivering in the chilly air.
Tristan stood, determined. “Tell me right now that being in my arms didn’t feel right and I’ll walk away forever.”
I opened my mouth to lie, but I couldn’t. Something deep inside me held my tongue hostage, refusing to release the words I so desperately wanted to say. I tried over and over, to no avail. “This is stupid.” I huffily walked off.
Tristan followed.
“I seriously hate you.” I meant every word. Sure, I also still loved him, but he didn’t need to know that. Like, ever.
“That’s okay. I can work with that,” he happily replied.
I threw my hands up. “We’re not working on anything. Why are you even here?”
“I came up here to talk to Jonathon. He, more than anyone, knows what it’s like to throw away the person he loves most.”
“Don’t refer to me that way,” I growled.
He grabbed my hand, pulling me to a stop. “Cal,” he breathed out, forming white puffs in the cold air. “I know you have zero reason to believe me, but I’m not lying. I’ve already warned my parents you’re off-limits.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like that’s ever stopped them.” They were already threatening my job. Getting involved with Tristan would only fuel that fire. “But it’s fine because we are never getting back together.”
He pulled my hand up with a devilish smile before his warm lips landed on my skin, sending a shock wave through me. “Never is such a tragic word. Don’t you think?”
The real tragedy was that I would never get lost in the feel of his kiss again. I yanked my hand away for self-preservation before I did something I would regret, but thoroughly enjoy. “We’re definitely not doing that again.”
“Why? Because you liked it?” he taunted me.
I scrunched my nose at him, glaring. “I’m leaving. Have fun talking to your jerk of a brother.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” he gritted out.
Dumb man had me curious. And apparently, I hadn’t learned my lesson about curiosity killing the cat. “What happened between you two?”
“Besides the way he treated Quinn and Stella …” Tristan paused for a moment. “He slept with Rachel.”
My jaw dropped. That had to be an attractive sight. “While you were married?”
He nodded.
“Does my sister know?”
“I don’t know. I hope not.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets, trying to warm them, feeling awful for my sister. Maybe I needed to have a little more compassion for her. Not that I was letting her off the hook where Quinn was concerned, but maybe I needed to figure out how to approach her more softly. “I’m sorry.” It’s all I could think to say. I knew Jonathon was a pig, but it was a low blow to sleep with his brother’s wife.
Tristan looked down at his designer shoes. “That’s what I get for picking the wrong woman.”
I wanted to say I wasn’t the right woman for him either, but it was a lie. In my heart, I knew we would have been great together. “I don’t know that anyone deserves that. Not even you.” I grinned.
