Page 62 of Old Flame

“We’ve been riding for over an hour. Your legs may be a bit wobbly,” I told her, using that as an excuse.

She licked her bottom lip and then gave me her hand. I wrapped my larger one around it and enjoyed the way that simple connection felt. Letting go of it was something I didn’t want to do, but once she was off the bike, I knew I had to.

She glanced around at the ground. “How far away from the water are we? Are we in danger from an attack of any alligators?”

Chuckling, I shrugged. “It’s South Florida, Angel Face. Gators love it here. But I will keep my eyes open.”

Her eyes widened, and she glanced back at the bike, as if she considered getting back on it.

“I swear I won’t let one get you,” I assured her. “This is an equestrian community. Didn’t you see the big sign when we drove inside the gate?”

She nodded, then scrunched her nose. “You don’t ride horses…do you?”

“No, but the land was ideal and in my price range.”

I waited while she decided if she was going to go any further or not. I decided on not telling her that just beyond the trees I hadn’t cleared yet was a panoramic view of the lake. If she knew water was that close, she’d no doubt climb back on my bike.

“How did you find this place?” she asked.

“Liam has links to the equestrian community. A business partner of his son-in-law’s owned the land and wanted to sell.”

It was more like the former owner had gone bankrupt, and Liam had mentioned to me that he’d be interested in the land if his daughter and grandson weren’t in Ocala. I’d seen a good opportunity and taken it.

“It’s lovely,” she replied, her eyes drifting over the property. “Do you plan on ever building a house here?”

Yes…no. I wasn’t sure.

I shrugged. “Maybe. One day.”

Her smile was soft as she turned her eyes back to mine. “Vanna would have loved this place,” she mused.

I nodded. “Yeah, she would have.” Especially the view of the water that the house would have when the trees were all cleared.

“Do you ever visit her grave?” she asked. “I mean, sometimes, I just want to talk to her. Even if she can’t talk back.”

My chest tightened. “I do. Every time I’m in Ocala, I drive up to sit, drink a beer, tell her about life. Wish like fuck she were there to listen.”

“Right,” she whispered, turning her eyes back to the property and off me, but not before the sadness that echoed in me flickered in her gaze. “I often feel as if I failed her. Let her down.”

The only one who had failed Mom was me. I’d let her down. My cutting Salem completely out of my life wasn’t what she’d wanted. I knew that, but at the time, I had seen no other way. To be near her was to want her. Need her.

“Not a chance,” I replied.

She didn’t say anything, and for a moment, we stood there in silence. The gentle breeze caught her hair, and the faraway expression on her face made me wish I knew all her thoughts. But most would probably rip me open and leave me here to bleed.

This was my opening to begin digging into her marriage. To find out what I needed to clear her name. Fuck, it wasn’t what I wanted to do. Hearing her tell me about another man she had loved was going to be hard. I hadn’t considered it until it came time to begin. The other option though would have been handing this job to Lick, and I’d have killed him if he touched her. Held her. Fucked her.

“How did you meet your husband?” I asked, not even leading into it. Asking it was hard enough. I couldn’t be suave about it.

She blinked, slightly taken aback as she stared at me. I waited, giving her time. Talking about Mom was easy for us. We’d both loved her. But her husband was the other man who had held her heart. This was different.

Dropping her eyes to the ground, she cleared her throat. “I, um…well, it’s a bit of a long story. I wasn’t, uh, very open to dating or relationships of any kind at the time.”

Because of me. I’d caused that damage.

“He must have been persistent.”

Any sane man would be when he got one look at her. He’d move heaven and hell to have her. I almost had.

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