Page 117 of Sweet Harmony

“I don’t loveyou anymore,” he said.

Anger flashedin her eyes. “You don’t mean that. You’ve loved me since you werefifteen years old, Connor MacMillan.”

“I don’t loveyou now.” His voice was slow and deliberate. “I have a life outsideof this town, and maybe it isn’t the life I planned, but it’smylife and I’m happy. I’m happy with Kira.”

“She’s isn’tright for you,” she said.

“She’s perfectand I love her,” he said.

She froze inhis arms, the sneer transforming her face from beautiful to coldand ugly. “Fine. Go be with your stupid Falls girl. Let’s just hopethat you don’t fuck up her life the way you fucked up mine.”

Heat floodedhis face, bile bubbled in his belly, and for one brief moment hethought he would throw up. He swallowed thickly, staring at Lisa asshe gave him a defiant look.

“There youare,” he said. “I wondered when the real Lisa would make anappearance.”

He pushed awayfrom her and headed toward Kira. She was standing at the table and,ignoring Ethel, he held his hand out to her. “Time to go.”

“All right.”She took his hand and he led her toward the door.

“Connor? Whereare you going?” Gina was approaching them.

“We’re leaving.I’ll call you later,” Connor said.

He walkedfaster, ignoring the pain in his knee. He pushed open the door ofthe rental hall and stepped out into the cool night air. HoldingKira’s hand, he walked away from his past without a second lookback.

* * *

“I’m sorry Ididn’t tell you I was engaged to Lisa.” Connor paced in the hotelroom as Kira sat on the edge of the small loveseat.

They’d decidedto rent a room for the night, rather than drive back to HarmonyFalls, and he was regretting that decision now. He wanted to beback in Kira’s home, in her bed and between her legs and notthinking about his hometown or Lisa or his parents’ disappointment.The guilt was always stronger when he was here, he could feel it inthe very molecules in the air, and it was threatening to drownhim.

“It seems likethere’s a lot that you didn’t tell me,” Kira said. “Or your bestfriend. Why didn’t you tell Lucas we were dating for real now?”

He sat downnext to her, relieved when he reached for her hand and she didn’tpull away. “I’m sorry. Not telling Lucas wasn’t intentional, itjust slipped my mind.”

He studiedtheir linked hands. “I have a lot of baggage when it comes to thisplace and I didn’t want to burden you with it. Especially sinceLisa doesn’t mean anything to me anymore. Being engaged to her wasjust a stupid mistake that I’d like to forget.”

“Ethel told meabout your baseball career,” she said.

He muttered acurse and stared down at their linked hands.

“You shouldhave told me that,” she said. “Why didn’t you?”

“Because Ifucked up,” he said. “I had a chance to be somebody and I fucked itup. I’m ashamed of that.”

She cupped hisface and made him look at her. “You are somebody, Connor. Justbecause you’re not a famous baseball player, doesn’t make your lifemeaningless.”

“I’m a dentist,Kira,” he said.

“A damn goodone. Being a dentist takes brains and determination, and don’t youdare let anyone make you feel less for being one. If my parentswere alive, you have no idea how thrilled they’d be that I wasdating a dentist. They would have loved you, Connor. They reallywould have. Hell, my brother likes you. Do you know how rare thatis? Gideon is hard to win over, and you did it in a singleconversation.”

She reached upand cupped his face. “I know it’s hard being back here, I know ithas terrible memories for you, but do not let it make you feelless. You are amazing.”

He kissed hergently before resting his forehead against hers. “You’re theamazing one.”

“I am prettygreat,” she said.

He laughed andkissed her again. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about my past, it’sjust… it’s still difficult.”

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