Page 33 of Hidden Memories

Maybe that’s what he doesn’t like. Maybe I remind him of a time when he behaved badly. Does he think I’ll tell everyone who seems to love him what he did? That he led me on then left me in the dust with no explanation? That wouldn’t be anyone’s finest moment. Like I’d ever. I have my pride. I’ve never told anyone what happened.

But I did love him. So, so much. But he’s not that man anymore, even if he looks the same. Better. Fuck me… he looks even better.

A hard stone falls in my gut.

We’re nothing now. Not even a beautiful memory.

It’s definitely not the right call to be hanging out with his family. “Thanks, Ava. I appreciate the offer but I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Callum stands and puts his cap back on his head. “Hey, kid, if you want me to run background checks on this stranger lady, let me know.”

Theo rolls his lips.

Penelope laughs, also addressing Theo. “It’s small-town stuff. I apologize for my friend crashing your coffee date.”

Ava defends herself. “Hey! I just love math and I’d like to help out. Any friend of Santi’s is a friend of mine.”

My insides churn hearing she thinks Santi and I arefriends. Not only because we aren’t anymore but also because… she’ll never know we were so much more. Something about that has melancholy racing through me.

Callum squeezes Penelope’s shoulder and salutes everyone goodbye.

Suddenly, Theo asks, “You have a ranch?”

And just like that, I’d been wounded in the Achilles heel because Theo’s eyes are bright with the question.

“Yeah,” she says. “Lots of horses, some dogs around, chickens, and I’m trying to get this one here,” she hooks her thumb in Enzo’s direction, “to get me a goat.”

Enzo lets out a sigh that tells me what Ava asks, Ava gets.

Theo’s mouth tips up at the corner with that cute, reluctant smile of his. He’s intrigued. I promised him the farmhouse would be what Ava just offered, but it isn’t. Sure, there’s land around, but the whole environment has a desolate feel about it.

Theo says more than I’ve ever heard him say to a stranger. “People think goats eat anything, but they’re actually picky eaters.”

Ava is taken aback. “Really? I didn’t know that.” She twists to speak to her man. “Maybe your dad’s garden will be fine. The excuses are being obliterated one by one, boss.”

She turns back to Theo and talks behind her hand. “Keep the facts coming. I’m closing in on him.”

Theo smiles this time.Smiles.My son is typically guarded like I am. He’s a bit of a lone wolf but I can tell he wants to take Ava up on her offer and he’s never warmed to someone like this before. This Nosy Nancy has the knack. I’ll give it to her.

Unfortunately, the ranch, assuming it’s Monarch Hills, is a no-go zone. What will Santi think if he sees us hangingout with his brother and future sister-in-law? The man couldn’t have given me more of a Keep Out message if he’d whacked me over the head with a wooden sign.

My gaze flicks back and forth between Ava and Theo, and it feels like they’re making friends.

Ava adds, “You can take a load off, too. I bet you have to cook for yourselves all the time. Enzo, we could cook them dinner or something? Friday?”

“Wecould cook them dinner?” He cocks an eyebrow.

“You know what I mean…”

Clearly, Enzo does all the cooking.

She turns back to me, and in her eyes is empathy for the single-mom situation. She doesn’t know that only days ago my life was drastically different. I had a cook. A cleaner. Money.

But in this new life, I’ll be doing it all. Now that there’s an investigation, it could be ages before Theo and I have any security. Maybe we never will. I wouldn’t have put it past Nicholas to have been up to illegal activity. He was a shady character right from our ill-fated start. In the way he manipulated me into marrying him. In the way he drew my dad to his side. In the way he controlled my every move.

I want to take Ava and Enzo up on the offer, but what if we run into Santi? At his home?

Ava’s smile reels me in, and soon, the grit I found to start this new life takes over again. I’m not going to be bossed around by some… ex. Or whatever he is. Who is he to tell me who I can be friends with or where I can be and when? This ismynew life, and the new Kat will not be pushed around or intimidated by anything or anyone anymore. I shouldn’t have to tiptoe around this town just because Santi is being a grade A asshole and doesn’t want to give me a second to talk things out.

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