Page 62 of No One But You

Kora’s hands went up in frustration. “Yes, Kai. You’re right. We are different. That’s not a bad thing. It’s a good thing. I promise you, it’s okay.” She turned and put some space between us. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. Calmer. “I know there’s some skeletons in your past you need to deal with, and I’m sure they have something to do with your father. You don’t get a scar like that because you’ve had a good homelife.”

She touched the scar and rubbed her finger across it. It sent a shiver through me.

“Stop, Kora.” I’d had enough. She wasn’t going to see things my way. I had to make her understand. “This is the right thing to do. You’re from this town. You’re important. You could have any guy in Orlinda Valley you want. You don’t need me.”

“Trust me, I’ve had about all the guys in this town I can handle. That’s the one downside of living in a small town. Eventually, you know everybody. Sometimes you know them too well.. And I think I'm old enough to decide what I want.”

I stepped backward. I needed to put as much space between us as possible. “Kora, I’m sorry, but we can’t do this anymore. Something came up, and I can’t have you be a part of it.”

“Don’t, Kai.” Her gaze was hard and determined. “Let me decide what I can and can’t be a part of.”

I walked backward and shook my head. My heart shattered—this was a new feeling for me, and I didn’t like it at all.

“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Kai.” Her voice was thick.

“Kora, I have to. I’m sorry.” I had to get out of here. If I didn’t go soon, I didn’t know if I would ever be able to leave, and for Kora’s sake, I needed to. I jumped in Matilda and tore away, but I had no clue where the hell I was going.

Chapter 23

Kora

What the hell just happened? I stood with my mouth hanging open as I watched Kai pull out of the driveway at breakneck speed. My vision became blurry as his taillights got smaller and smaller until I could no longer see them. “Dammit, Kai,” I yelled out into the night as tears fell down my cheeks.

“Kora?” Tonya’s voice broke through the dark.

I wiped my face and turned toward my aunt.

Kaye, Diane, and Ruth were with her. Of course they were. It was Friday night—book club. They each had a glass of wine, and Ruth carried the bottle.

Just what I needed—an audience, but they came bearing wine. Things could be worse—well . . .

“Come here.” Ruth poured me a glass, and we all sat around on my patio furniture. “I’d like to say we were giving y’all privacy, but as you know, these ladies aren’t much for ignoring drama.”

I laughed softly and took a sip of my wine. My favorite chardonnay from the local winery. Diane, Kaye, and Tonya’s expressions were way too innocent. I knew better. “Don’t act like Ruth isn’t right. Y’all couldn’t stay out of drama if you were offered a million dollars.”

“You’re probably right, sweety,” Kaye said.

“I’ll blame your aunt,” Diane replied. “She’s corrupted us when it comes to needing to know everything about this town.”

“Seriously. Y’all are some shitty friends. Always throwing me under the bus. When we were on my back patio, I didn’t see any of you suggesting we leave Kora alone. Hell, Ruth, you snatched up the bottle of wine, and Kaye, you grabbed a glass for Kora.”

“If her heart’s broken, nothing’s better than a glass of wine,” Kaye answered. “So, sweet girl, what happened?”

“Kora, honey.” Ruth reached out and placed her hand on my thigh. “Don’t you listen to them. If you don’t want to talk, you don’t need to. You can keep your thoughts and feelings private.”

Bless Ruth. She was always the sweet one. The one who thought of everyone else’s feelings all the time. The world needed more Ruths in it.

I shook my head and took another sip of my wine and shrugged. “I really don’t know. I mean, Kai and I never said we were an item, but it seemed like there was something more than just sex between us.”

“See, they did have sex,” Kaye exclaimed and slapped her thigh.

“No shit, Sherlock. They didn’t just have a sleepover at the salon. A little sexy time was quite apparent,” Tonya said.

“Which was why she was attempting to sneak out.” Diane nodded once and lifted her glass toward me in a salute.

Wow. The book club. Her aunt’s oldest friends. Women I had known since birth. Why did I think getting advice from them was a good thing?

“Kora, don’t say another word. These harlots are just nosy busybodies,” Ruth said.

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