Page 54 of Wreck Me

“Why? It doesn’t matter now. What’s done is done.”

“It matters because he still cares for you.” Sadie touched her arm, and Ginny recoiled from it. “He does! Why would he have come here just to get another tongue lashing from you if he didn’t? It’s not exactly pleasant being on the receiving end of that.”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care.”

“But you do care,” Sadie said, her tone softening. “Like I said before brunch, there’s been more going on with you than just missing your house.” She started to reach for Ginny’s hand, but Ginny crossed her arms. “Maybe…you have feelings for him too?”

In her head, Ginny screamed,No!In her mind’s eye, she and Sadie climbed back into the SUV with Grant and the dogs and drove away, leaving Nico alone on that mountaintop forever.

But in the real world, a single tear trickled down Ginny’s freckled cheek. In the real world, Sadie’s arms wrapped around her, and she cried into her sister’s shoulder. “I keep dreaming about him. I can’t make it stop.”

Sadie hugged her harder. “Maybe you shouldn’t try.”

“He’s going to hurt me again.”

Sadie pulled away just enough that they could see each other’s faces. “I really think he’s hurting just as much as you. He can’t sleep either. Vince says he’s losing weight. Vince is as worried about him as we’ve been about you.”

Ginny shook her head. “But we’re so different.”

“Remember when you had to convince me to give Grant a chance? You helped me understand I was still punishing myselffor our parents’ death. I wasn’t letting myself be happy. I think you’re doing something like that too.”

“I don’t feel responsible for their accident like you did.”

“I know, but falling in love puts your heart at risk of losing someone again, doesn’t it?”

“Great Aunt Lydia said men aren’t worth it.”

“Sure, and you were closer to her than Monique or I was, but the way you go through life wouldn’t exactly get the Great Aunt Lydia seal of approval. She wanted you to finish college, and it’s hard to imagine she’d approve of squatters.”

Ginny had to laugh. “True.”

“So, it might not have anything to do with that old man hater. I wonder if, since Mom and Dad died, it seems easier for you to never get attached to anything, never make commitments, never take anything in life seriously, never?—”

“Grow up,” Ginny said, finishing her sister’s sentence.

“Well…yeah,” Sadie said, “though I wouldn’t want my Peter Pan sister to grow up too much.”

A smile crooked the corner of Ginny’s lips. “Neither would I. I’d be boring.”

“You don’t have to be a boring grown-up to find love though.”

“I might to be loved by Nico.”

Sadie shook her head. “Definitely not. He loves you the way you are. I can tell by the way he talks about you.”

Ginny was silent for a moment, then gave in to the curiosity tickling the edges of her floundering heart. “What does he say?”

Sadie looked back toward the ridge. “Why don’t you let him tell you himself? That’s why he’s here.”

25

Sweat trickled down Nico’s back as he checked his watch for the ninth or tenth time. Sadie had said to be there by one thirty. To be extra safe, Vince had dropped him off at one o’clock sharp, but it was a little past two now, and there was no sign of Ginny.

Sadie seemed the very essence of sweet and trustworthy, but he’d been fooled by a Heppner sister before. Monique had never fooled him, but her edges were sharp enough to cut diamond. Tempered steel seemed to run in the Heppner DNA. Besides, Sadie was an actress. Was this alleged meet up all a ruse to exact some humiliation on behalf of Ginny? Should he keep waiting?

Dumb question. Of course he would wait. He’d wait till two in the morning. He’d wait till two the next day…the next week.

For the last hour plus, he’d alternated between looking out over the view in a futile attempt to calm his nerves and giving in to his agitation by frantically pacing the lot.

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