Page 21 of My Temptation

“No, not really.”

“Is your sister still in Miami?”

“Actually, she’s moving here with my niece, Riley. She got a job as a nurse for Dr. Campbell.”

“Are you happy to have her close?” I asked, but I could tell by his tone that he was happy she was moving.

“Considering I’ve been trying to get her to move here for two years, yeah, I’m happy she finally agreed.”

“What about your aunt?”

“She died last year, which is why I think Everly finally agreed. Everly moved home after Riley was born, which my aunt loved. We knew she was sick, but she never wanted to say the words to us, so Everly decided she would stay with her and give her time with Riley before she passed.”

“How did she die?”

“Ovarian cancer.” He shook his head. “Same damn thing that took our mom.”

“Jesus,” I whispered in utter disbelief. “You watched two women you love die from the same thing.”

“They were sisters, and just like our mom, it happened fast and took her life quickly.”

“What brought you here, to New Hope, if your family was in Florida?”

“College.” I snorted. “I did one damn year of engineering at UNC and knew it wasn’t for me. Decided to take the long way home and found myself in New Hope. I loved this little town the minute I drove into it and thought it might give me what I was looking for and couldn’t find.”

“Which was?” I prompted.

He chuckled. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

I laughed. “I can understand that. I have no idea what made me apply for the job at Elite. All I knew was that I was leaving the FBI, and this little town felt right.”

“Do you miss DC? Your family?”

The tension that had melted from my shoulders was back instantly. I hated talking about my father. Only Jax, Brody, and Beth knew some, and honestly, it wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. “I don’t miss DC. I thought I might, but when I went back, I realized nothing was left there for me.”

“What about your father?”

“My father and I don’t see eye to eye, putting a strain on our relationship. The best thing I did for that relationship was leave the FBI.”

“I would think he’d be proud that you wanted to work with him.”

“You’d be wrong.” I snorted. “My father doesn’t believe women have a place in his department. He’s still of the mindset that only men should be out in the field, and when I worked my way up the ladder, proving that I could do fieldwork, our relationship completely changed.”

“How?”

How could I explain something I hadn’t come to terms with yet? My history with my father was so complicated. I couldn’t find the words to describe how we went from a loving family to two people filled with anger and resentment.

I decided to be honest. “I don’t know how to explain it. We just lost what we had while I was growing up.”

“Maybe you can find your way back to it,” he suggested.

“It’s too late for that, Ethan. Too much has happened that can’t be fixed or forgotten.”

“He’s your father.”

“He was,” I agreed. “Until he became my boss. I don’t trust him anymore, and what do we have without trust?”

“Guess we’re both in the same boat as far as parents are concerned. Maybe that’s why Brody paired us.”

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