Page 85 of Lochlan

She crumples to the floor, tears staining the envelope from her silent weeping.

I crouch down to be eye level with her, but she can't look at me. “You and I are the only ones who know what happened that day and why. I wanted to hurt you as much as you hurt me. That's why I waited until you were about to walk down the aisle to call off the wedding in front of your family, celebrities, politicians, and everyone in Edinburgh society. That public rejection wasn't enough. I went on an epic binge to make up for the lost years I stayed faithful to you, but in the end, that still wasn't enough compensation. It wasn't the pound of flesh I needed, so I plotted.”

Her tears subside, but her breathing remains irregular with the effort of crying. A trail of black runs from her eyes down her cheeks, her red lips smeared.

“I deserved your hurt anger, but it's been three years. I still want you back. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you,” she offers.

I deliver this truth as coldly as possible. “Understand this. You and I are never getting back together.”

Her lips part with the shock. “The painting of me, what we did in the study…you said you missed me.”

“Aye, I do. I miss the sex, but you could suck my cock twice on Sundays for the rest of your life as a penance and I still wouldn't take you back. And you're mistaken about the painting. The model is Kenzie.”

There's no response, and she stares at me as if I'm an oddity.

I rise to my feet and offer her my hand. She clasps it with a strong grip and she's back on her feet. “You just strung me along, for what purpose?”

“I planned to have my revenge on you and Harris. My original scheme has taken too long to execute. I was waiting for Harris to be named CEO, then I'd go to Granda with the pictures and the story of what you did. He would have banned you both from the business and maybe Harris from the family. The threat of scandal is an effective tool to get what I want.”

“If you release those pictures, you'd be caught up in the scandal as well.”

I shrug. “I'd be the guy who dumped you and a minor part of the story. I can see the headlines in the tabloids now: The MacTavish Distillery CEO and Ian MacTavish's protégé caught in the act before her wedding. Who else in the family is mentoring her?”

“So, this plan will happen when Harris is CEO? What if I get ahead of this and leave the company?”

Fiona is forever the negotiator. She's always looking for a way to win. “It doesn't matter what you do. I have the means to destroy you personally and professionally. You'll never work in corporate, not after I release my story and pictures. You'd be lucky to find a job scrubbing floors or as a stripper at some seedy downtown bar. There's no negotiating here. You don't have a hand to play. I'll decide your fate.”

She breathes out a resigned sigh. “What do you want?”

“You'll do exactly what I tell you.”

CHAPTER36

BEACH BUNNY

KENZIE

How does someone make one wrong decision after the other?Easy, it's like tumbling down a mountain; you can't stop until you hit the bottom.

When Lochlan didn't answer my question of which one of us he wants, I realized Fiona was right. I was sticking around for the formal brushoff talk.

For every poor decision, there's a silver lining. I didn't take Poppy's offer to partner on the court and in bed, because it's a line I won't cross. In the back of my mind, there's still a little voice saying,it's only sex and don't let this opportunity slip away.

Lochlan tried to contact me several times over a two-week period. I didn't answer his phone calls or texts. Three times he dropped by my apartment to see me, but by that time Pru and I were gone. He left messages with the apartment manager, who sent the notes to me, but I never responded. I knew his remorse would get the better of him, so I found another apartment near Ralph and Susan's facility, home of the Blue Waves, in San Pacitas.

The other clubs I interviewed were great, but I like the family atmosphere of the Blue Waves and the straightforward approach to training. It wasn't my intention, but after I left Crimson Beaches, other players followed me out of the door, and Poppy lost some excellent athletes.

Pru, who likes to play team indoor volleyball, found a club in Santa Barbara. Livi left and is still looking for a new club. She contacted me last week about us partnering. It might work out; we discussed spending time as friends and not rivals, training and playing a competition together to see if we're a match. I'm looking forward to working with her. I always thought she was a skilled player.

Dad isn't happy about me staying in San Pacitas. I know he's lonely. When Mom left after the holidays, he had a harder time adjusting. He won't say, but it appears he's deciding about his marriage. I love my parents. I hope they'll be together always, but if they think this is the time for them to part, I'll be supportive.

Connell and I have become real friends. I know he wants more, but I need to take it slow. After the events of the last few months, I don't trust myself to go into another relationship.

Connell is still at MacTavish Cellars and is thriving in his new job as the assistant winemaker.

* * *

My phone dancesinside my pocket, like something that's come alive. I pull it out, noting the time before reading the text. It's from Connell, asking me if I'm anywhere near the wine bar we agreed to meet at tonight. I'm walking up the sidewalk typing “I'm here” and I get a smiling emoji back with a thumbs-up. I'm in downtown Los Gatos at a tasting room located in one of the oldest buildings in the city.

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