Page 69 of Running to You

“Right. That’s what your mother is for.”

“I defied my mother to be with you.”

“Defied her? You were a grown woman. You didn’t need her permission.”

An old argument she didn’t want to have. “You’re saying you didn’t get married, because I saw the photo.”

He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the tile, and rounded the island to grab his phone. He scrolled silently.

She bit into her toast. Then had another bite of omelet and sipped her coffee, wondering what in the world he was looking for.

Finally, he returned to her side and handed her the cell.

The image stabbed her.

Kylee looked impossibly beautiful in her wedding gown, much prettier in color than she’d been in black-and-white. She was beaming at Sam, who was smiling just as wide back at her. They looked deliriously happy.

Just what Eliza had wanted to see.

“Thanks for that.” She handed him the phone back and turned her focus to the food. As if she’d be able to eat another bite.

“Now look at this one.”

Was he trying to hurt her?

“I get it. You moved on.” She cut another bite of the omelet.

“Look at it, Eliza.” He set the phone right beside her plate.

She couldn’t help it. She looked.

Kylee in the arms of a different man. He’d dipped her, and they were kissing.

The man had blond hair.

“He was a fraternity brother,” Sam said. “I took her to an alumni gathering, and they hit it off immediately.”

Eliza looked from the photo to Sam. “She cheated on you with one of your friends, and you went to their wedding?”

“We were never together.” He slid his phone off the table and shoved it in his pocket.

But that wasn’t right. “I saw the pictures, Sam. More than just that one. Maybe you didn’t marry her—”

“I didn’t marry her.” He sounded equally incredulous and annoyed.

“But you two were together.”

He huffed a breath. Leaned back into his chair and faced her. “After you left… Fine. Yeah, we dated. You know how many events I attended for business. Charity balls and dinners and… The point is, I never liked to go to those things alone. Kylee was available.”

“I told you she had a thing for you.”

His eyes darkened. “You have a lot of nerve, you know that? You. Left. Me. When I wanted to talk to you about it, you disappeared. The time for explanations is long gone.”

He dove back into his eggs.

She picked at her toast. Something wasn’t right. Something didn’t add up. Because she could hear a voice, a man’s voice she couldn’t place. I’m sorry, sweetheart, but Sam moved on. He’s married.

The memory was suddenly as clear as the conversation she was having right now.