Page 86 of Bring me Back

“My choice was poor,” he added.

“It was,” I agreed.

“Hallie…”

“What about Sharon and Delilah?” I wanted to know.

He shrugged. “I knew it was her family because of the last name, but I never met them. We weren’t serious.”

“Serious enough for her to think I used you to get to her. For Ryan to be reporting to her. Have you ever met him?”

If he did… God, he was a good actor. The way he acted when I revealed Ryan was there that day… Not possible that was a lie.

Daniel shook his head, a tick in his jaw. “I never met her friends. Cricket…” I stilled with the nickname. He sighed. “Hallie. I dated her for a few months. It wasn’t serious. I was messed up after my divorce. When I saw it was going toward something I couldn’t give, I broke it off. She was upset, sure, but nothing crazy. I’d never thought she was going to knock on my door like that.”

My fingers closed around the cloth I was using to clean the drawers. I dared to look at my side. Cole was done smirking, his eyes cast down like he wanted to disappear. And then I made the mistake of looking at Dad.

His blue eyes devastated me. Confusion pained his features, shaking like he was holding by a thread. That was my fault, I knew it. I took such a wonderful Dad and threw him in the dark. He was never going to win that battle. The obstacle wasn’t parenthood; it was me.

I turned back to Daniel, the urgency to speak to my father rang in my ears. I looked right into Daniel’s handsome face, his open expression. I wasn’t going to shame him for having a rebound relationship with Katie. Suddenly everything weighed on my shoulders, and the tears threatened to drop.

“I told you everything,” It came like a whisper. An accusatory whisper that shook the walls of my dad’s hardware shop. “I told you about the most horrific thing that happened to me and… What do I know about you, Daniel?”

This ignited something in him. He poked the counter between us. “You know everything about me.”

“Do I?” I frowned. “I don’t think so. It was one-sided. You were so busy trying to take the words out of me you forgot you had to give something back. And honestly, I let that happen. I wanted to feel brave, and I wanted to share for the first time in my life, but what happened Sunday? When I was with you and my nightmare came knocking? Jesus, Dan…” I breathed it out. “You know me inside out. There’s a disconnection here and… I will not pressure you. I know what it's like to be silent and keep people out of your business, but I won’t be waiting around to figure out things about you by accidents knocking on our door.”

“Hallie… This is not—”

“This is how it felt,” I hammered down. “I might be quiet, Dan, but sometimes I make loud decisions.”

We looked at each other for years, centuries. Probably just a second. He dipped his chin down, accepting.

“Goodbye, Dan,” I said at last.

“Is it true?”

I narrowed my eyes and scanned the classroom, and yes, we were the only ones in an earshot. The next student was two benches to the left.

My classroom was quiet, everyone working on their piece as AC/DC played in the background. Nothing had changed in that area. The workshop was still a sanctuary where my troubled kids could rewind and create something solid.

Cole was working in an entertainment center, mask on as he stained the wood crouched on his bent knees. I looked at his work under furrowed eyebrows. Cole was a student, and he knew too much of my business. I wanted to tell him to pay better attention to the work in hand, but even though he was sneaking glances waiting for my reply, his stain work was impeccable. Son of a bitch.

“What are you talking about, Thompson?” I grumbled.

Leaving the paintbrush to the side, he went up his full height and he put his mask down.

“The things everyone is saying about Hallie and the Campbells.”

“What’s that to do with you?” I spat.

The fucking nerve. Cole looked from one side to the other, shaking his head. “You know that saying? It’s a secret, so everyone knows?”

“Isn’t that a line fromHarry Potter?” I watched it recently with Rose and April.

For the first time, Cole’s cheeks warmed, making him look like a kid besides his height.

“The point is that Katie is telling everyone Hallie tried to steal her boyfriend in revenge.”

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