Page 131 of Capturing You
“Just say what you have to say.”
She braced for an argument, but he didn’t pressure her.
“I was going to tell you today, but Grandmother?—”
“You’re blaming your grandmother for lying? Very nice.”
“I’m not blaming her.” His tone was hard. “I’m just explaining. My legal name is Ford Baker, has been since I was eight years old. That wasn’t a lie.”
“Why?”
“Grandmother feared I was in danger, so she?—”
“No. I mean, why were you going to tell me?”
“Oh. Because… You know why, Brooklynn.” The words were softer now. “Because you mean something to me.”
How could one sentence both warm her heart and send ice to her veins?
She didn’t know how to respond. It was possible he was being honest with her.
It was just as likely he was lying, considering he barely knew her.
She didn’t know him at all.
“Why does your grandmother think you’re in danger?”
“I’ll tell you that, but not over the phone.”
And there it was. Dangle a carrot to get her to do what he wanted.
She’d been manipulated too many times to fall for it again.
“I’m not going to tell anybody who you are, Forbes. I’m not going to tell anybody anything, so you don’t have to keep lying to me. You don’t have to pretend this is something it’s not.”
“I’m not…” He blew out a breath. “I’m worried about you. I’ve spent the entire day searching for you.”
Heat burned her eyes, and she squeezed them closed. “Sorry you wasted your time.”
How she wished he really cared about her. How she wished she could trust him. But how could she trust a man who’d lied to her from their very first meeting?
He had an agenda, and he was worried that she’d mess it up.
Simple as that.
“I promised to keep your secrets,Forbes, and I will. One of us can be trusted.”
“I’m looking for you because you’re in danger. I care about you.”
“I can take care of myself. You can cross me off your list of things to do.” She ended the call and slumped in a chair.
What was she doing here, trying to help him solve his mystery? She needed to trust the police to figure out what was going on.
She needed to get out of town until this was all over.
She would, as soon as her stupid tears stopped.
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