Page 48 of Trails of Temptation

“I love him,” I said, hating that the first time I’d said it out loud was laced with venom.

“You don’t know what that even feels like,” he breathed, chuckling as he shook his head and leaned back on the couch with one arm spread wide over the back. “Was it worth it, Keely, fucking my friend knowing you’d forever ruin not only my relationship with him, but my relationship with you?”

“I’m not responsible for your feelings, Pete. You seeing this as a bad thing and ruining these relationships is your decision, not mine—”

“How long have you been sneaking around with him behind my back? Two years ago? You really think I didn’t notice the way you were drooling over him—”

“Yeah,” I said, the word more of a whisper that cracked and shattered around my feet. “I knew I loved him then, but before—”

“You couldn’t have chosen anyone else—”

“No, I couldn’t have,” I breathed, finding it hard to swallow. I met Pete’s eyes, seeing nothing but… hatred. “And I’m not sorry about it.”

“Well, I hope you guys have a long, happy life together—”

“What you said in the kitchen—” I interrupted, cutting him off. “About how I had to go after something else that was yours. That I took our parents from you—”

“My mom wasn’t your mother—”

“She was the only mom I remember,” I choked, my eyes welling with tears. “And it hurt me just as much to lose them as it hurt you, but you wouldn’t have known that, would you, Pete? Because I felt like you’d damn near forced me out of town after they died—”

“It was for your own good—”

“Was it?” I cried, the death grip on my resolve snapping and giving way as hot, bitter tears began to trail down my cheeks. “Because I think you saw it as freedom from the burden you chose to carry for our family—”

“Do you know what kind of things the people in this town said about my parents, especially my dad, after you showed up?”

“I was just a little girl, Pete,” I whimpered. “I didn’t ask for any of this—”

“I meant what I said,” he said bitterly, glaring at me as he reached for the open bottle of bourbon on the coffee table. “Get the fuck out, Keely.”

I swallowed back the sob threatening to escape my throat as I hurried to the door and pulled it open, not even bothering to close it.

Pete and I hadn’t ever been particularly close. He was protective of me and always had been. I’d also assumed he was because he loved me, that he wanted the best for me, not because the only control he had over the way the town saw our unconventional family was by keeping me on a short leash.

Falling into bed with his best friend looked bad, but only to Pete.

“If you keep chasing away ghosts,” I said over my shoulder, sniffling as I caught his eye one last time, “you’re going to end up alone forever, Pete.”

“Thank God,” he growled, throwing back his drink. “Shut the fucking door on your way out.”

I didn’t.

* * *

George’s house loomed in front of me as I got out of my truck and quietly shut the door. My eyes were puffy and red from crying the entire way home from town. Part of me felt like I should have just slept in my bedroom at Grant’s house tonight, but I passed their house in a blur as my head spun and my heart ached.

I left my purse on the couch and padded upstairs. Randy was sitting on the top step, his eyes meeting mine in the dark.

“Did he wake up at all?”

“No, he’s out like a light and just fine, Miss Keely,” he whispered, giving me a soft, knowing smile.

I brushed back the rain-damp curls from my forehead and nodded, wanting nothing more than to fall in bed and cry, but not tonight. Not when the man I loved was hurt and it was all my fault.

“Thanks for being here,” I whispered, meaning every work. I squeezed Randy’s shoulder as I passed him and walked into the darkened bedroom where George was fast asleep on his side, facing the far wall.

I heard the front door open and close, and then the house fell quiet.

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