Page 71 of Bad Girls Don't Marry Marines (Rock Canyon, Idaho 3)

Justin let her go, cursing his stupidity as he waited for her return.

Chapter Seventeen

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VAL THOUGHT ABOUT walking out the door and calling her sister to come get her, but she didn’t really want to leave. Her pride was pricked, but he had a right to ask her if the rumors were true and let her squash the doubts.

Only you brought it up, not him. He was too chicken shit to say anything.

Taking deep breaths, she tried to stop the burning flames of her temper from rising to the surface. For all the intimacy and feeling that lay between them, they didn’t know each other that well. If he really wanted to move forward and give them a chance, if he really wanted no bullshit, then they were going to have to start now. Complete and open honesty.

Val left the bathroom, and the blatant relief on Justin’s face when she sat down made her feel slightly better.

“I thought you might have left.”

“I was tempted, but you had every right to ask. If we’re going to try this whole open, honest, see-how-far-this-will-go thing, you need to know about my past.”

He waited patiently. “I’m all ears.”

“When Cole and I got married, I knew I didn’t love him, but we got along okay and I was trying to please my dad. We were fine together for the first couple of years, but when we had trouble starting a family, things became tense and we started to fight more. I finally went to the doctor, who diagnosed me with PCOS—”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a hormonal imbalance. Anyway, once Cole found out, he wouldn’t get tested himself and blamed everything on me. When I wouldn’t immediately agree to a divorce, he started the rumors that I was unfaithful to force the issue. When he couldn’t prove the rumors in court, he filed under irreconcilable differences. He was going to have to split his entire inheritance, but I didn’t want it. I didn’t want his money, even though when he told me that I didn’t deserve any of it, I wanted to take him for all he was worth out of spite. But honestly, I had Gus, my trust fund intact, and a defamation settlement because of his allegations. Everything worked out and I could start over here. Well, kind of.” Her tone was laced with bitterness as she added, “You aren’t the only one with doubts about my character.”

He reached across the table and said, “I’m sorry, Val. Believe me.”

She squeezed his hand back. “I’ll forgive you this once, but that’s it. Next time you doubt my honor, I’ll horsewhip you.”

“Only if you kiss it better after.”

She took a bite of her salad, shaking her fork at him. “I will use this.”

The waitress came back to take their empty plates and refill their water. It wasn’t until she glanced down at their clasped hands with a smile that Val realized they were still holding them.

Val pulled her hand back, and the waitress gave her a wink. “I’ll be right back with your food.”

Once she was gone, Val said, “She probably thinks we were being all lovey-dovey.”

“When actually you were threatening me with cutlery. Who says romance is dead?”

Val covered her laugh with a cough as the waitress returned with their food.

Val went for her potato first.

“Most people start with their steak,” Justin commented, taking a bite of his.

“Most people didn’t have their father barking orders about no carbs in the house except on rare occasions. I say, screw that and savor them.”

“Agreed.”

By the time they’d finished eating and the waitress came back, asking them if they wanted dessert, Val was too full to think about it. Justin asked for the dessert menu and, after a brief perusal, grinned.

“Can we take an order of that and that to go?” Justin asked, pointing at the menu.

“Absolutely,” the waitress said, rushing off with his credit card.

Val asked, “What did you get?”

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