Page 47 of When You Got a Good Thing (Misfit Inn 1)

Xander fisted his hands again. “I could have gone after her. I could have helped her fix things with her family, made sure she was here for Maggie, that she didn’t have to lose her mother.”

“Yes, you could have. I have no doubt she’d have gladly welcomed you. And, after all that, you’d have left with her again and stayed gone, exactly as your father feared you would. But I don’t think it would’ve been all sunshine and roses.”

“At least we would’ve been together.”

“Yes, but for how long? You both would’ve struggled, and I’m not sure your relationship could’ve survived it.”

“You can’t possibly be saying this is for the best.”

“No. No I’m not saying any of this should have happened. But I am saying there’s no guarantee that you’d have stayed together. You were both very different people back then. The epitome of opposites attract. Her free spirit and wildness attracted you, but I think, in the long run, it might have been hard for you to live with. You were so, so young. All this time away…it’s given you both a chance to grow up. She’s had ten years to find whatever she needed to find out there. And you’re stable. You’re both in a better place to actually see if you’ve got what it takes for a mature, lasting relationship now.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

“Why not? According to the rumor mill, you were already back together.”

 

; “She didn’t tell me, Mom. She didn’t tell me any of this, when I asked. I had to get blindsided about it from Essie.”

“And you’re angry with Kennedy for that?”

“I’m angry she didn’t trust me.”

His mother stared at him. “Honey, are you even listening to yourself? It’s got nothing to do with trusting you. That poor girl was traumatized. She’s been living with this secret for a decade, and I’m willing to bet she never told a soul about it because your father made sure she was too afraid to. To have all of it dragged back to light again—and I’ll bet you told her it wasn’t even as serious as your father made it out to be…that’s got to be devastating all over again. So if you did anything other than talk to her about it and offer sympathy and support, then you deserve to be whipped.”

An uncomfortable prickle of guilt worked its way past the all-consuming anger. He’d done nothing to offer sympathy or support. All he’d done was tell her the realities and snap at her about what she should have done instead. She’d cried. And then he’d laid into her about the lie.

But she hadn’t lied. At least not directly. If she’d told him outright that it hadn’t been his fault, that the fight had nothing to do with her leaving, he wouldn’t have been able to rest until he’d known the real reason.

His mother glared at him in that way that said she knew he deserved that whipping. “Do you love her?”

“Of course, I do.” He’d love her until the day he died.

“Then fix this. Get over your pride or hurt feelings or whatever this is. She didn’t stop being who she is just because there was more to the story of why she left. She’s the biggest victim in all of this because Buck didn’t just drive her away from you, but from her own family. I know she kept in touch, but it wasn’t the same. Not for her, not for Joan, and not for her sisters.”

Xander had seen the state of her relationship with her sisters with his own eyes. Kennedy was still being punished for something that was entirely his father’s fault. And still, she’d covered Buck’s ass and not told Xander the truth. Because she didn’t think she mattered.

He hadn’t corrected her.

The leftover Chinese food turned to lead in his stomach.

“You know what I loved most about when you two were together in high school?”

“I didn’t think either of you liked Kennedy.” His voice came out in an awkward croak.

“We were concerned about how serious you were, so fast. Worried about what you might do with that. But I always liked her. She encouraged you to take risks. Never stupid or foolish ones, but she got you out of that totally practical, always safe routine. Not that there’s anything wrong with safe, but there’s so much more to life. You lost that without her.”

He’d lost a lot of things without Kennedy.

“I don’t think it’s too late to get that back. Assuming you get your head out of your ass.”

Xander tunneled his fingers through his hair. “I need to go apologize.”

Marilyn nodded, satisfied. “Good. But go take a shower and change clothes first. You smell like a brewery.”

Chapter Twelve

IN ALL HER YEARS of gainful employment, Kennedy had never felt like bailing before the first day. After the first day, sure. She’d worked a few crap jobs that were real doozies for the newbie. But an hour and a half before her first shift at Elvira’s Tavern, she wanted to throw in the towel.

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