Page 54 of Tangled in Vows

None of that matters now. He needs to know about Felix. He never pushed me much about what made me run away. He’s aware of my family circumstances and that I was supposed to marry Felix against my will, but not much more than that. Everything else still felt too raw and too painful to talk about. I was also embarrassed, not wanting to admit how stupid I was.Since Holden never pressured me to tell him more, it was much easier to pretend it didn’t happen.

I can’t help but wonder if I should have told him back then—laid it all out on the table to lighten the burden on my soul. Maybe it would have kept me from building wall after wall around my past and heart.

Now my time is up because Felix is back in my life. While I’m not sure if he’s behind anything other than sending me the bouquet, he’s up to something.

If he’s also the one who sent the picture, he might be coming after Holden and me because I ran away and Holden’s the one who helped me. Since the news is out about our marriage, Felix knows Holden’s the one who helped me screw up his laid-out future.

“Hurricane?”

Holden’s worried gaze bores into me, and I glance at my lap. Trying to gather my wits and trying to get out of my damn head that’s been way too overwhelmed lately.

I take another sip and let out a humorless chuckle. “Sorry. It’s . . . it’s been a lot.”

He moves to the side, as if contemplating coming closer, but then stops. “There’s nothing you need to apologize for. And I know you might not believe me, but I’m here for you if you need to talk.”

I hate that he can read the situation so well.

Or maybe he can just read you so well.

Regardless of our circumstances, this isn’t just about me, and I’m not stupid enough to risk other people’s lives. So I straighten my spine and look Holden directly in the eyes.

“If you really think we’d be safer in a different location, let’s move.”

He pauses with a piece of popcorn halfway to his mouth. “Really? Just like that?”

“Yup. Also,” I take a deep breath and force the words out, “remember Felix? The guy I was supposed to marry? I think he’s behind this. At the very least, the bouquet. And possibly the picture too.” I rub my hands on my leggings. “I don’t think he’s behind the naked guy because that would make no sense, but obviously, none of this really makes any sense.”

Seconds tick by, maybe minutes, as Holden just stares at me. His jaw flexes, his whole body so tense I’m getting a little worried. And unless the light is playing a trick on me, the color is also slowly draining from his face.

What the hell?

He finally unfreezes and leans toward me across the island, pushing his entire upper body on his elbows as if he needs the support.

“Why do you think Felix is behind this?” The words come out gravelly, as though he barely managed to get them through his clenched teeth.

Is he upset I brought up Felix?

“Because of the bouquet.”

“The bouquet? You hate ranunculus.”

My mouth opens. “You remember?”

Some tension leaves his face, and he gives me a sad smile. “Of course I do.”

I pick up a discarded piece of paper from the Mentos roll and squeeze it between my fingers. “I never told you why I hated them.”

It’s not a question, but Holden shakes his head anyway. “No, you didn’t.”

Just spit it out, Olivia. You don’t have to tell him everything. Need-to-know basis only.

Right. “So, we had a . . . uh . . . we had a field of ranunculus near my aunt’s house. Since they were my favorite flowers, Ialways stopped to smell them. Felix . . . he used to pick them for me, and when he gave them to me, he said?—”

“Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl.” Holden finishes my sentence.

I bite my lip and nod.

I wait for him to ask me what happened with Felix that made me hate my favorite flowers so much.

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