Page 80 of Renewal After Dark

“Don’t make it out to be more than it was.”

McKenzie was trying hard not to get mad—and not to cry—at the gruff way he was suddenly speaking to her. “Can I ask you something?”

“I guess.”

“Why are you trying to talk me out of liking you when earlier it seemed like that was what you wanted?”

He stared straight ahead for the longest time, so long she’d begun to think he wasn’t going to reply. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“What doesn’t?” Her heart had begun to beat in an erratic staccato as she realized this conversation could turn out to be one of the most important she’d ever had.

“To like you this way.”

“Why?”

“You’re Rosemary’s granddaughter. You’re younger than me. You’re… you, and I’m…”

“You’rewonderful. How can you not see that?”

He shook his head. “My life is boring and small compared to what you could have with someone else. You could have anyone you want.”

“And yet, the only man who has my attention is the one who’s been kinder to me than anyone I’ve ever met.”

“I’m sure you’ll get over that when things return to normal.”

Now he was just being mean in his attempt to talk her out of liking him. She didn’t understand where this was coming from, so rather than continue to make her case, she unclipped Jax’s seat belt, got out of the truck and reached for the baby carrier. “Thank you for taking me tonight. I had a great time. Tomorrow, I’d be happy to help with your books, if you’d still like me to.”

“Sure.”

“All right. I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

“McKenzie.”

She stopped walking but didn’t turn back.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I just think you can do better.”

“We’ll have to agree to disagree about that. Good night, Duke.”

She kept her head held high as she walked away, even if she was crushed on the inside. Why had he taken a step toward her only to take two steps back a short time later? Had something happened while they were at the marina? Had someone like Sierra warned him off her or made him feel that his interest in her was wrong?

McKenzie wouldn’t put it past her.

Which wasn’t fair, and she knew that. She’d barely met Sierra and had no reason to believe her capable of anything like that.

But something had happened, and she had no idea what.

Chapter17

McKenzie went through the motions of getting Jax changed into pajamas, reading him a story and nursing him one last time while ignoring the ache in her heart. How was it possible that this felt even worse than everything that’d happened with Eric?

Probably because Eric wished he could be half the person Duke was.

After she’d tucked in Jax and wished him the sweetest of dreams, she went to the living room and sat on the sofa, staring into the dark while trying to figure out what’d gone so wrong. She hadn’t noticed anything, but then again, she’d missed the signs with Eric, too. With hindsight, she’d realized there’d been clues she’d failed to pick up on, but she’d been so happy and so in love she hadn’t paid them enough attention.

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