Page 59 of The Rogue

“Tessa was doing the very thing you ask her to do every time she’s back in town—leaving. Sounds to me like you were stopping her.”

I suck my teeth. “I don’t know, Dad. Maybe I’m under her spell.”

He laughs. “That’s the most sense you made since you walked in.”

“I don’t need to be under anyone’s spell.”

“No, of course not. Especially not a beautiful redhead.”

I lock my jaw. “She’s not Lilly.”

“I know that. Doyou?”

“You think my disdain for the woman is because she reminds me of my ex-wife?”

“If Tessa reminds you of your ex-wife, you don’t know her at all.”

“I don’t need to know her.”

I don’t want to know her.

I shouldn’t want to know what the hell she dreams about. Or who still haunts her.

“Well, she’s going to be around at least until the end of the summer. You’re going to want to know things.”

I snap my head. “What kinds of things?”

He shrugs. “Like what’s in Summer Hill? She didn’t have a home, I know that. And why she keeps showing up then disappearing.”

A horrid thought comes to mind. “You think this might be a Lonnie situation?”

One of the reasons my ex, Lonnie, and I broke up was the baggage we both came with. My trust issues. My overprotectiveness. Lonnie was on the run from an abusive relationship—still is. She had trust issues of her own. It was too much for both of us to deal with. And she wasn’t the one.

“I think that before someone falls in love with her—say, Jackson—you might want to find out.”

“If she hasn’t told you, what makes you think she’d tell me?”

He shrugs. “I never asked. I only offered to help.”

We’re both quiet for a moment. Finishing my beer, I twist the empty bottle between my palms. “She has…nightmares. She fell asleep on the couch last night, and I watched her. I think…I think she gets them often.”

Dad curses under his breath. Twisting his neck. “You think this disqualifies her? Because she’s got problems?”

“No.”

“Then why are you telling me?”

“Because her problems are my problems.”

Dad’s brows jump. “I wasn’t expecting that.” There's a beat before he adds, "Noah could help. If there’s anything on record, he’ll find it. You and I both know he's found plentyoffthe record, too.”

I can'tsit here and tell him I haven't thought of that. “What if Tessa wants to keep whatever it is private?”

He taps his bottle against the wooden bar. “Think privacy went out the window when she moved into your house.”

I run a hand down my face and push off my seat. “Thanks for the beer.”

“Want me to look into it?”

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