Page 5 of A Reckless Memory

“You get everything you want, and you think I’m a lying fake because I took some money to date a girl?”

“To marry me.”

He flung a hand out. “We would’ve been fine together.”

Fine. Wasn’t that what a girl wanted to hear from the man she’d fallen head over boots for?

He hadn’t professed his love, and I thought it was a manly thing, that I’d hear those words today. A deep burn ignited in my chest right next to my heart. I was so stupid. “You’ve never told me you loved me.”

His hostility drained away. “Aggie.”

I shook my head. “Leave.”

“No, we’re finally talking like two real people.”

“I’ve always been real. I’m not the one who lied. You say I’ve always gotten what I wanted, but you used your charm and looks to get you just as far. No one can say I had that.” All the comments from everyone over the years resounded in my head. Not a beauty like her mother. Doesn’t she know what a brush is? Poor thing...could use a woman’s touch. “One day, Ansen, I hope you know what it’s like to have your entire heart ripped out, to have your passion stripped down and be humiliated in front of witnesses. To lose everything after you already gave up so much because you thought you were going to be happy.” I straightened like I had a fence post lining my spine. “Now leave.”

A ripping sound at my feet made me look down. My wail was as much about the horror I found as my broken heart. “Mama’s books! Tex. No.” Tears that had been too shocked and outraged to flow before suddenly came cascading like a June rain down my cheeks. “No.”

I dropped to my knees. Tex’s tongue lolled out and he panted, but in his eyes was more concern for me than I had seen in my fiancé’s.

“No,” I whispered, my vision blurry. I didn’t care about Mama’s life insurance. These books were like having a piece of her with me, and now they were shredded and full of slobber.

“Oh, shit, Aggie. I’m sorry.” Ansen moved like he was going to kneel.

“Go!” I screamed, hugging the broken books to my chest. Murder on the Orient Express had taken the worst damage. Mama had read me this book before bed in the months before she walked out.

The low growl from Tex finally got Ansen to back up. Worry lined his face, but he made a frustrated sound. “This isn’t over between us.” He spun on his heel and walked out.

My breaths shuddered in and out as I cleaned up the mess. I dumped it all on my bed and stared at it. A couple of covers had been separated and chewed. Loose papers with jagged tears. Crooked spines. The books were ruined, like me.

Ansen would likely tell everyone how I’d handled the news. I didn’t dare dwell on how many suspected this wedding to be a farce. Daddy would find me and try to talk sense into me. I was being dramatic.

If he saw me now, he’d say, Too much like your damn mother.

“I need to go.” In a flurry, I rushed around my room. I didn’t change but grabbed my suitcase and stuffed random clothing inside. Once I latched my luggage closed, riding high on determination, I stared at the destroyed books on my bed. I yanked my ring off and tossed it on the pile too.

When I turned, Tex was right behind me, his head cocked. I sank my fingers into his soft fur one last time and scratched around the leather collar with his name and Ansen’s phone number stitched in. “I’ll miss you, Tex. You can chew up his favorite pair of boots for me.”

I yanked up my suitcase and left the bedroom. Tex’s claws clicked behind me. “Stay,” I said over my shoulder, but it was no use. I didn’t have any treats to entice him. He could follow me to the pickup, and I’d leave him behind then.

I went through the laundry room that was on my side of the house, hoping no one had yet had time to come looking for me. The space attached the house to the garage, and I snuck through the garage and out the other side, where the pickup Cody bought me for high school graduation sat. I opened the back door, tossed my luggage in, and Tex jumped inside.

“No, Tex. Out.”

He tilted his head, and his tail thumped against the seat.

“Tex.” Raised male voices turned to shouts behind the house. Panic galloped through my veins. My brothers were yelling, probably at Ansen. They’d never confront Daddy. He was the power, and we were tools to carry out his bidding. I didn’t want to get in the middle any more than I was.

I gave Tex one last look. “Out.”

He glanced past me, then met my gaze again, his tail wagging. Dogs didn’t lie about their feelings. He wanted to come with me, and I needed to leave. Looked like I had myself a new dog. I got behind the wheel, still wearing my wedding dress.

I took off just as Cody rounded the house, his expression shocked, for once not a mask of professional competence. Ansen charged past him like he was going to run down the truck. I floored it. Gravel spit out from the tires and the back end fishtailed. Tex almost lost his balance and fell off the seat, but I held on and kept control. I was nothing if not a country girl. Only now, I’d make sure I was more.

Ansen skidded to a stop in my rearview mirror. He shoved his hands through his hair and his suit coat lifted, the whole stance making him look more handsome than ever. A heartbreaker.

I blinked back tears. No more crying. I had a new future to plan for. What I saw in the mirror was my past.

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