If the woman would only look at him … “Her real boyfriend dumped her on Friday. I don’t know why she didn’t just come clean to you all about it.”

“So you’re not together? You don’t love my sister?”

“No. And no. I’m completely single.”

Finally she looked at him again. Opened her mouth as if to say something, then snapped it shut. Red rose in her cheeks and her gaze fled to the ground. “I don’t know what to say.”

Praying it wasn’t the wrong thing to do, he gently turned her back toward him and nudged her chin upward with his index finger. Hurt swirled in the depths of her eyes.

“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.”

Marshall’s hand fell as Shannon stepped away from him. She grabbed Lucky’s leash once more and took off at a clipped pace through the grass and out the gate.

He’d probably just shot himself in the foot regarding his promotion. She was going to tell everyone. But he couldn’t blame her. He only had himself to blame.

For the lies, yes. But also for the aching emptiness of his arms.

Because he’d gone and done the one thing he’d promised himself he’d never do again—Marshall St. John had started to care about someone who had the ability to hurt him.