Page 88 of Rekindle My Heart

She was too quiet during dinner. Ryan wanted to pull her close but didn’t think she wanted him to out them to her parents after one night together.

She buckled into the seat, and it was like a starter pistol going off in his head. Questions buzzed around like bees in a hive.

Slow your roll, Daniels.Or not. “What’s going on? Are you still pissed about the files?” Please let it be about the files.

He put the car in gear and pulled out into the lane.

“This isn’t right,” she whispered as she watched his parents’ house fade from view.

“What?” He knew it. Crap. Nothing in him wanted to have this talk. But since when did what he want matter?

She turned to him but didn’t speak. Fuck. Her eyes glistened.

He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. He sighed. “When are you going to stop blaming me?”

She whipped her head around. “I don’t.”

“Bullshit. You didn’t talk to me for thirteen years. I lost you too.” Ryan looked straight ahead but mumbled, “That hurt more.”

A sniffle came from the other side of the car. “I blame myself.”

Ryan pulled the car over and slammed it into park. “Why? You didn’t force her to drive off that bridge.”

Tears streamed down her face. “She was mad at me.”

“Just because she was pissed that we hooked up, it didn’t mean we killed her.” He reached for her hand again. This time she let him take it. “She stole thirteen years from us. Let’s not let her steal a minute more.”

Her blue eyes glowed as tears rolled down her cheeks. Hair slipped from her braid as she shook her head vehemently. “I shouldn’t have done it. Not when I knew she still wanted you.”

“More bullshit. She knew you wanted me. It didn’t stop her.”

“What?” She pulled her hand back and stopped.

“The night we broke up, Sarah told me she only went out with me because she knew you had a crush on me. She’d played the innocent and wanted to wait, but then slept around with every guy on the football team.”

Erica’s head swiveled in shock. “No.”

“Yeah. That’s when I realized she wasn’t the only one who wasn’t really in this relationship.”

Erica was the Randall sister he wanted, but he was afraid he’d lose her if they dated and it didn’t work out. The shitty thing was it happened anyway. His heart fractured the day Erica shut him out, and it only started repairing the day she walked into the task force meeting.

“No, I… I have to go.” She unbuckled and flung open the door. Ryan slammed on the brakes, and she slipped out of the car.

“Erica, wait. Let me drive you.” But it was too late. She disappeared between the houses and was gone.