Page 43 of Sterling Touch
I fucking saw her alright. I couldn’t take my eyes off her in the bar the night before. Much like I can hardly take myeyes off her now.
At the massage sessions. At baseball practices. At Milton Roadhouse. I’ve turned into a fucking creeper.
And I’ve been one of too many that reinforced something Vale clearly believes is a failurein her. A defect that doesn’t exist. She’s goddamn beautiful, inside and out, and because some assholes, myself included, haven’t gotten her off, is no reflection on her.
It’s us. It’s me. I’m the asshole here.
Why hadn’t I known about the crush? Why hadn’t I paid better attention to her needs?
I had all the answers. Or at least, what I thought were the answers.
The separation from Stone had me pulling blinders on to the entire Sylver family. For years, the blindness hadn’t mattered because I’d moved away, but my injury returned me to the place I’d been running from and I’ve been back here ever since, wasting twelve years never talking to Vale, never officially apologizing, never even considering the possibility of her and me as something more.
Although I’m certain any chances between Vale and me are dead now. Crushed beneath my boots and buried in the dirt.
What a fucking tool. Vale thinks Iusedher. Selfishly, I did. But I thought?—
It doesn’t matter what I thought. I didn’t think. I acted. Irresponsibly, immaturely, impulsively.
Too soon, I’m pulling up to the edge of Vale’s driveway. It’s late; the house is dark, minus a light in the front room. Stone’s sheriff truck is here. If he’s still awake and recognizes my vehicle, there might be hell for Vale.
And I’ve already put her through enough.
I place my truck in Park and pop open my door, planning to get out and circle round to Vale’s side.
“Don’t,” she whispers, cracking open the passenger door on her own and holding up her hand.
My forehead furrows. I don’t like this. Not her tone, or her refusal of me being a gentleman. I’m twelve years too late.
“Bee,” I whisper. We should probably talk more, but then again, we just had half an hour to cover more details, offer explanations. The deep, dark secrets behind my actions.
And I’m still trying to process how disappointed and hurt she must have felt back then.
Spontaneous sex in the woods. Her crushing on me. Me in a bad way. Not finishing her off.
And then she’s pregnant.
For the longest time, I thought Hudson might be mine. The timing worked, but Vale would have told me if he was. Despite everything between our families, if I was that boy’s father, she would have told me. I believed that wholeheartedly.
But I should have asked.
I should have apologized.
I should not have let things go so long.
Because I’m learning hard truths now. Hudson’s absentee father. Vale’s disappointmentin me.
At the exact time she’s causing an awakening in my spirit, I’ve learned I crushed hers.
Vale hops out of my truck and turns back toward me. “Thanks for the ride.” Her eyes are sad. The typical clear blue now foggy. Her shoulders slump forward, her body looking small in my oversized shirt.
She closes the door, and I watch her round the front corner of my truck.
Fuck it. I cut the headlights and the engine, and press open my door. Taking quick steps up the gravel drive, I catch Vale by the elbow, spinning her to face me.
“What are you?—”
“I’m sorry, Vale. Sorry for everything. For taking advantage of you that day. For not satisfying you. For crying like a fucking baby afterward.”
