Page 137 of Nothing to Fear

Maddox and Cole eased inside the room, their faces grave.

“Did the hospital call? Did something happen to my father?”

“No,” Maddox said. “Gideon is here.”

Willow’s lungs tightened. She clutched her throat and sat on the bed, needing something solid beneath her before she hit the floor. “What does he want?”

“To talk to you.” Maddox sat beside her and handed her a small, square box.

Willow took the present and stared at it, her chest aching with each breath.

“You don’t have to open it.” Cole leaned against the doorjamb. “I’m happy to throw it in his face and give him a beatdown for you. But what’s inside might sway your thoughts.”

“Why do men think they can buy us with jewelry?” Maddox asked.

“He’s not trying to buy her. He’s trying to apologize.”

Maddox rolled her eyes as she huffed.

“I’m on your side.” Cole glanced between them. “I’m on Willow’s side. Not his. I’m only saying he probably put thought into it.”

Taking a breath, Willow untied the white bow and peeled off the red wrapping. A velvet box tickled her fingers. She didn’t want jewelry but did want to know what was inside, so she opened it.

A necklace with a delicate chain. The pendant was a black bird made of darkened sterling silver, the intricate wings covered with pavé diamonds and a large diamond—at least a carat—set as the eye. In the bird’s breast, at the heart, was a single pearl.

It had a faint pink iridescence like her mother’s vintage choker, but it couldn’t possibly be the same.

“Wow,” Maddox said in a whisper. “Looks vintage.”

Cole peered over. “Looks expensive.”

“It’s a starling.” Hope bloomed inside Willow, but she was terrified to let herself expect anything other than an apology.

“His pet name for you from the boat. Awww.” Maddox put a hand to her chest. “Okay, he put thought into it. The pendant was probably tough to find, but it doesn’t excuse how he hurt you.”

Having Maddox and Cole in her corner warmed her with comfort she’d only known from her parents. And, for a moment, from Gideon.

“Why would he give me this?” We don’t fit. The words were nailed to her bleeding heart.

“I think he’ll tell you,” Maddox said, “if you talk to him.”

Willow pinched the back of her hand, debating. Gideon had hurt her like no one else. And he’d waited four days to see her. The gall.

What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? Fall into his arms and pretend he hadn’t stomped on her heart?

“You can keep the necklace. Doesn’t mean you have to see him,” Maddox said.

Oh no, she wanted to see him. Clutching the bird in her palm, Willow strode to the closed front door. She hesitated, gathering her choppy thoughts, and opened it.

Gideon turned and met her eyes. Heat suffused her at the sight of his clean-shaven face and trimmed hair. Just being near him made her calmer, had her softening. But she refused to collapse into his arms, regardless of what he said.

“You changed your hair back to chocolate brown.” He smiled. “God, you’re beautiful.”

Her belly quivered like watery Jell-O. “The necklace is beautiful. But I don’t want it.” She extended her hand with the starling in her palm.

He edged closer. Awkward, hesitant, as if his guard was down. He cupped her trembling hand, wrapping her fingers around the bird. “Please, keep it.”

“Haven’t you hurt me enough?” She’d hit the crest of this roller coaster of suffering and had been on the downward slide to dark emptiness. Now this. “Why torture me?”