Page 19 of Cream

I’m absolutely terrified. Which is such a terrible contrast to just how amazing I’m also feeling.

It’s like I just finished off the world’s greatest ice cream sundae and now I’m about to swallow a spoon full of pure lemon juice.

Brent has been nothing short of incredible. And now I’m about to ruin everything. Even the way he’s looking at me now has my stomach twisted into knots.

You could just not tell him, I think to myself.

But I know that’s not an option. I could never lie to him. Not anymore. Not after everything that’s happened between us in this whirlwind romance.

I just have to be honest and tell him and see how he handles it. If he breaks things off with me, I’ll be heartbroken, but I’ll just have to accept it.

I take a breath, close my eyes, and open them again. There he is. Looking as handsome as ever. And he’s just waiting for me to speak.

“My dad didn’t just send me to do purchase orders so I could learn how to do business, Brent.”

My voice is trembling. I feel like throwing up. “He sent me to spy on you. On your farm. To find something to use that would give him an advantage over you.”

The words are like acid spilling off of my tongue. That’s it. We’re done. He hates me now. I know it.

But to my surprise, Brent just laughs. I feel his fingers on my chin, and he raises my gaze so I’m looking directly at him. Then he just smiles and shrugs.

“I know.”

I freeze. It’s like an electric shock has just blasted through my brain.

“Wait, what?” I’m gawking. “You know?”

He nods, leans in, and gives me a reassuring peck on the lips. “I figured it out after your dad showed up with the inspectors. With his new investment in Smiling Green Dairy and him sending his gorgeous daughter down week after week, I put two and two together.”

Suddenly, it’s like the weight of a car has been lifted off my back. I breathe deeply as he brushes my hair from my eyes. He really does have a comforting smile.

“God, Brent. I thought you were going to freak out. That you were going to hate me.”

“Come on, Luna,” Brent chuckles. “How could I ever hate you?”

I feel the sting at the base of my eyes as they begin to fill up with tears. The next thing I know, I’m collapsing into his arms, bawling like a little girl.

Brent strokes my hair, making me feel protected, and most of all loved.

“I feel so silly,” I laugh, crying at the same time.

“Don’t feel silly,” he says, his voice so soothing. “You had every right to be worried.”

Suddenly, I go tense again. I did, didn’t I?

I sit back, putting a bit of distance between the two of us. All of a sudden, Brent doesn’t seem so soothing and safe as he did five seconds ago.

“What, gorgeous? What is it?”

It’s like a movie on super-fast-forward plays out in my mind, filling me with heavy thoughts that crash into my heart like a shell being fired from a tank.

“So wait,” I say slowly. “You knew that I was sent by my father to spy on you, yet you chose to come here to see me?”

“Well, yeah.” He shrugs. “How could I resist?”

Brent reaches out for me, but I slap his hand away. He looks back at me with shock.

“Luna? What is it?”

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