Page 143 of The Wrong Heart

Certainly, that would have made the most sense.

Why bring Parker into this?

She falters, biting her lip and tucking her chin to her chest. Bree mimics my stance by crossing her arms, wrapping herself in a hug while she considers her response. It feels like lightyears pass us by before she replies. “I thought I could help him by helping you,” she murmurs to the floor. “Give him something to care about. A connection. I thought maybe…” Her voice wavers as fresh tears fall free, tracking down her freckled cheeks. “I thought you both could find healing in one another and work through your pain together. I never intended to manipulate anyone’s emotions… I didn’t think it would go this far.”

I stare at her through watery eyes, my heart being pulled in two directions.

I feel angry. Betrayed.

I feel compassion. Understanding.

Bree sees my struggle, so she moves in, clinging to it. Taking my hands in hers, she squeezes me gently, a silent plea registering through her touch. “Melody, listen to me. If you need someone to blame, blameme. Don’t blame Parker. I take full responsibility.”

The bitterness crawls back up my throat. “He’s known the truth for months and didn’t tell me,” I bite out, pulling my hands away. “I could have gotten past it then, if he had just been honest with me, but now…”

Her sigh is deep, her eyes closing. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know you were the woman he’d developed feelings for,” she explains. “I thought nothing ever came of it. I followed up a few times that month, but Parker told me you never got in touch.”

“It took me months to finally reach out. I didn’t know what to say.”

“God…” Bree brings her fingertips to her temples, stepping back, her expression full of anguish. “I’m so sorry, Melody. I never meant to add to your pain. And for all of Parker’s flaws, he’s not a vicious person… I’m sure he was scared to tell you.”

I shake my head. “It doesn’t make it right.”

“No, but it makes himhuman.” She paces forward again, gripping my shoulders with taut fingers. “Parker has never had feelings like this before. There’s never been anyone like you. And I’m not trying to justify it, I promise, I’m just trying to paint a picture, so maybe you can see things from a different perspective.” Bree dusts her thumb over my collarbone, her copper-tinged eyes glistening with remnants of her tears. “My brother has been through hell. He’s suffered the worst out of life, truly, and I’ve done everything in my power to keep his head above water. And maybe I’ve kept him afloat all these years, but it’syouwho has finally taught him how to swim. I’ve seen the difference you’ve made. I’ve seen a light in his eyes that has never been there before.”

My throat stings with sentiment, and I’m flooded with confliction. Parker’s desperate, candid plea for forgiveness flashes to my mind, cutting deep, and I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. My soul feels conned, but my heart still beats with yearning and empathy.

I realize now why Parker didn’t want me to pronounce my love to him last night.

He didn’t want to take possession of such a cherished thing under false pretenses.

“I fucking love you. Just… know that.”

Tears burn my eyes until I’m unable to hold them in any longer. They trail down my face, one after the other, adding to my rising pool of mixed emotions.

Bree brushes the tearstains from my cheekbones, a solemn smile pulling at her lips. She continues. “You’re special, Melody. You’re special to him. And maybe I’m a little biased, but Parker is special, too, and maybe… maybe this all worked out exactly how it was meant to.”

My eyes lift to hers, my insides spiking with a new surge of gall. I take her words to heart, perhaps more than I should, but my mind is spinning, and my feelings are all over the place. I latch on to what I can. “Meant to?” I repeat, pushing her hands off of me, my tone dripping with quiet outrage. “My husband’s death, this deceptive matchmaking ploy for your brother, toying with my emotions when I was at my most vulnerable, was all…meant to be?”

Bree’s head swings back and forth, her eyes widening, lashes fluttering. “No, God… that’s not what I meant. I’m not trying to minimize any of this. I’m just trying to find the good in it all.”

“There’s no good in lies and broken trust.”

She nods, soaking up my truth. “No, you’re right. I’m so sorry for putting this all in motion.”

I inhale a rickety breath, the tears still spilling. Everything is too fresh, and my emotions are raw and heightened. I need time, space. I need to calm down and look at this rationally. “I-I should go,” I whisper, darting around her towards the door.

“Melody… please.”

Hesitation seizes my steps, my hand curling around the doorknob.

Bree’s voice cracks as she urges, “Please forgive him. He loves you.”

Her final plea meets my back as a harrowing cry breaks loose, and I race out of the office.

He loves me.

Parker loves me.

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