Page 44 of Burning for the Truth

I stay silent. I know this could be a treacherous slope because of how Chelsea said she felt about me.

“You can talk to me about it if you want,” she adds.

I lift my bottle to my lips again before staring her square in the eye. “There’s nothing to talk about. Briella and I are not up for discussion.”

She appears taken aback by my tone. Before I know it, she stands and leans over to whisper in my ear, pressing her breasts dangerously close to my face. “We don’t have to talk, then. We don’t have to talk at all. You can come to my house, and I’ll make you forget about her. She left you again, Dean. I would never do that to you. I already told you, I’m in love with you. Give me a chance. You’ve already lost her, what could it hurt.”

I turn to tell her no, it won’t be happening whether I’m with Briella or not, but she tries to kiss me. I turn my face away just in time. And it’s right in time to see a furious Tate staring back at me with a crestfallen Briella standing beside him.

I push Chelsea back and stand to go after Briella, but she’s out the door before I can take a step. Tate doesn’t budge, he remains still…staring at me like I’m some jerk. And maybe I am, but this…Chelsea wasn’t my doing.

I make my way to him, and his face is red. “How could you do that to her?” he asks through gritted teeth. “It’s been a week and you’re on the prowl. What the hell, Dean? I thought you loved her. I thought you were going to straighten your act up and do right by her.”

He starts to leave, and I grab his arm. “Look, I didn’t do anything but sit at a bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bree. I didn’t invite Chelsea to sit beside me or make a move on me. I was getting ready to turn her down when you walked in.”

He laughs cynically. “Yeah, that’s exactly what it looked like.” His eyes narrow.

I run my hands through my hair. “I don’t care what you believe, Tate. It’s the truth. I love Briella and I’ve been going out of my mind since she stormed out of my house. She won’t let me explain and y’all aren’t helping because you assume the worst! I know I have a past, but who doesn’t? I remember a time when all you did was have one-night stands! But Lucy changed everything. The same way Briella changed me.”

Guilt is evident in his eyes. “Look, I need to explain to Briella why I kept the letter so long and why I had it in the first place, but the timing is always wrong for us. I know she thinks I betrayed her, but I didn’t. I was trying to do what was best for her…to protect her. She’s everything to me. Without her…I simply exist, I’m not living. Without her I have nothing. I don’t care if you believe me or not. It’s the truth. That’s what’s real. I love her.”

I stare him down. Some of his anger seems to have disappeared. He glances behind me to a tearful Chelsea. I run my hand down my face. I wanted to explain myself to Tate, but I hate Chelsea was collateral damage in the process. The entire bar is watching. Brittney stands beside Zander, neither of them even pretending not to stare. I let out a breath and walk out of the bar.

I see Briella in Tate’s truck, but I’m no fool. I’m further from her listening to me now than I was the moment she left me standing on my doorstep as she disappeared into the night. I see the tears staining her face. I clench my jaw and get in my truck to leave. Maybe I should leave. Maybe coming back to this town was a big mistake for everyone. I steer my truck toward my house. Maybe I should re-revaluate my situation. Once this case is closed, maybe I should start over somewhere else…somewhere no one knows me, and I haven’t left a trail of broken, disappointed hearts in my path.

We get back to Tate and Lucy’s house and I head for the guest bedroom. He was silent as I cried on the drive back, but he stops me short. “We should talk, Bree.”

“I’m really tired. Let’s do that tomorrow,” I tell him, avoiding eye contact. I’ve always been able to tell him anything. Things I couldn’t tell Sterling. Well, aside from my feelings for Dean both then and now. That’s always been my secret.

“No. I think we should talk now. Take a few minutes to get yourself together, then meet me on the back porch.” Lucy walks up beside him and flashes me a sympathetic smile.

They both walk away leaving me to my thoughts. I wander into the room I’ve been staying in and sit on the bed. When I left, I didn’t go to my apartment. I needed a place away from any other memories to clear my head. My mind starts chastising…he was already with someone else…someone I know for a fact loves him. Someone who wasn’t afraid to say it.Someone who didn’t give up on him like I did when I read Drew’s letter. Now that I’ve had time to process it, I know I overreacted and said some horrible things.

I throw myself back on the bed and close my eyes against thoughts of Dean with Chelsea. They torture me. Could he really move on so easily? Although, I did tell him I was letting him go, didn’t I? I’ve never seen him cry, but when I left…he was.

I sit up and square my shoulders, ready to go face Tate. I don’t know how things can get much worse at this point. I stand and head toward the back porch when my phone rings. I read the caller ID and see it’s Brittney. I really want to talk to her because she would’ve seen Dean at the bar, but I can’t keep Tate waiting, so I send her call to voicemail.

When I reach the back porch, Tate is sitting in a rocking chair. The firepit in front of him is lit; it’s the only light back here tonight.

“What’s so urgent you need to talk to me right now?” I ask as I sit in the chair beside him. He rocks in his rocking chair with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket.

“I need you to tell me what really happened between you and Dean…from the beginning,” he adds at the end.

I cross my arms defensively. “Why does that matter?”

“Because I need to understand,” he says calmly.

I stare at him as a tear slides down the slope of my cheek. “Dean is my first love. I’ve loved him since I was old enough to understand what love was. But he rejected me. He picked Ivie all those years ago. He broke my heart the night I ran off…the night I broke my ankle. I ran because of him. And nothing between us has been the same since.”

Tate nods as understanding dawns on him.

“When he moved away, I didn’t have to see him anymore, so it was easier. But when he came back, I knew I’d have trouble keeping my feelings in check. Then, Drew walked into the picture.” I smile sadly as more tears fall.

“Right as Drew and I started dating, all the stuff with Lucy and I being held at knifepoint by Taylor happened. There’d been so much tension between us. The way he looked at me that night after the attack…I thought he’d finally admit he had feelings for me. If he had, even though I’d started dating Drew, I would’ve ended it to be with Dean. What kind of person does that make me?” I whisper the last part.

“Someone who’s hopelessly in love. I know the feeling.” He chuckles.

I smile. “Yeah, but he never said anything. Maybe it’s because he was such good friends with Drew, but nonetheless we went about our business like nothing had changed. I got tired of waiting and then it happened. I fell in love with Drew.”

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