Page 227 of Holding On To Good

He glanced up but then shook his head.

He wasn’t going to ask.

And he didn’t feel sorry for her. How could he? She had everything.

But something was different about her today. Even from across the room he could see she was deep in her thoughts. A muted version of herself. Like she’d come to realize that life wasn’t all sunshine and roses and happy times.

And that fucking killed him.

“I’m not sad,” she continued, looking at him. “It’s just been an emotional day. So your entire reason for this wasn’t necessary. But as it gives me a chance to finally repay the debt you seem so happy to hold over my head, I’m glad it’s happening.”

He wanted to ask what she meant by an emotional day, but that wasn’t what this dance was about.

Whether she knew it or not, it was about getting rid of that hint of sadness in her eyes. It was about making sure she had a good time at this wedding. It was about making her smile.

“What did you promise the cop?” he asked.

“Why?”

Because her other brother had heard his name before. Because it was obvious she’d talked about him to her family. Because if she promised the cop she’d stay away from him after this dance, it might be what finally set him free.

Or rip him apart completely.

“Because it was about me.”

She made a tsking sound. “Such vanity. But you’re right, it was about you. In a way.”

His fingers tightened slightly on her waist. “Tell me.”

She rose onto her toes like she’d done when she’d kissed the cop’s cheek. But Reed didn’t get a kiss. He got her warm breath on his ear. Her voice, pitched just high enough to be heard over the music.

He got his ass handed to him with her words.

“I promised him I’d always know my worth.” Pausing, she leaned back far enough to meet his eyes. “And that I’d never settle for less than I deserve.”

He froze, unable to look away from her eyes and he saw in the blue-green depths the same attraction, the same pull he felt. Knew it was that attraction, that pull, that’d dragged his ass across the room to her when he should’ve stayed in his seat.

That it was that attraction, that pull—and not because she owed him—that’d had her agreeing to dance with him.

He could tell her how pretty she was. How often he thought about her. How much he wished things were different.

He could apologize for lying to her that night at the lake. For all his bullshit about not wanting her.

If he was open and honest, if he told her the truth, he could still have a chance with her.

But her cop brother was right.

She should never settle for less than she deserved.

The song ended. He held on to her as the last note hung in the air, giving himself those few seconds to keep on pretending.

Until the note disappeared.

And then he went back to reality.

Dropping his hands, he shoved them back into his pockets. “Looks like we’re done, Princess.”

Eyes narrowed thoughtfully, she studied him once again, head tipped to the side, hair sliding over her shoulder. “Yeah,” she said softly. “Looks like we are.”

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