Page 7 of Walk Off

“Let’s see if we can find her.” Benji steered him through the crowd until it opened up to the dance floor.

He scanned the floor frantically, his eyes landing on her in the middle of the floor.

She was in another man’s arms.

His blood boiled and rage set in. He knew he had no right to be jealous or angry or upset. It had been eight years since he’d seen her. Eight years since she’d broken his heart.

There was nothing between them any longer, and yet, his heart wouldn’t—couldn’t—let her go.

Before he could approach her, Cassidy went barreling out onto the dance floor toward Celia, leaning in and whispering something in her ear. Her expression changed in the blink of an eye. She went from happy and laughing to shocked and almost fearful.

Her gaze looked around the room until it landed on him.

She gasped, her mouth opening and her eyes going wide.

That answered the question of whether Cassidy knew about him. Something he’d wondered the moment Benji had introduced him to her. Something about her look had told him she knew who he was. And not as a friend of Benji’s.

“I have no idea what’s going on,” Benji said. “But it seems as though my wife does.”

Kyle was barely listening to him. All he could see was Celia. She looked even more gorgeous than she had at eighteen. Her body was lush and full with a waist and hips he was dying to sink his fingers into. At eighteen, he’d thought she was hot. Eight years later, he found that the woman in front of him was downright sexy.

Should he approach her? Say hi?

Benji left his side and strolled onto the dance floor, taking Cassidy’s hand and leading her away from Celia. The guy Celia had been dancing with asked her a question and she shook her head. He didn’t know what the guy asked, but seconds later he walked away, leaving Celia alone on the floor.

It was now or never.

As he walked closer to her, the fear on her face increased. What was she afraid of? Was it him? Had he done something to make her fear him?

“Celia,” he said, his voice barely a whisper when he was within arms reach of her.

She visibly swallowed. “What are you doing here, Kyle?”

“Benji and I went to college together.” Was she shaking? It sure as hell looked like it. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head excessively. “No, I’m not okay. I never expected to see you again.” Before her last word was out of her mouth, she dashed off leaving him standing in the middle of the dance floor, more confused than the day she’d broken up with him.

What was going on?

A hand touched his shoulder and he turned to find Dallas Ramos standing next to him. “Why don’t we get some air?”

In a complete haze of confusion, Kyle followed Dallas through the ballroom, and outside to a covered patio where cool air greeted them even though there were heaters scattered around the perimeter.

Standing there waiting for them was Ruby, Dallas’ wife and Celia’s sister.

“Kyle,” she stretched out her hand, “I’m Ruby, Celia’s sister.”

He shook her hand, still confused as ever. “Yeah, I know.”

“I figured you did.”

“Can someone tell me what is happening? Why does it seem like Celia is afraid of me? Why did she run?”

“I can’t answer all your questions,” Ruby said in a strong voice. “Those are for you and her to work out.”

He was practically shaking. “She’s not afraid of me, is she? I would never hurt her. She’s the one who broke up with me.”

“Eight years ago,” Dallas said. “Why are you acting as if it was yesterday?”

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