Almost A Bride (Montana Born Brides) by Sarah Mayberry Page B

Then he just faded out of our lives, skipping visitation weekends, putting us off until it became clear that he’d rather forget he had us than face up to his own guilt. We haven’t heard from him in ten years.”
    His hand tightened around her ankle. She took a deep breath, determined to get it all out.
    “Anyway. Like I said, I did my best to make it up to Mom for not telling her about that day. To make things okay. But I always felt as though there was something I should have done. Warned Mom. Something. That’s why I always drop everything when she needs me. Why I can’t say no to her or Scarlett.”
    “ Jesus, Tara. It wasn’t your fault. You must know that.”
    “ I do. It took a while, but I worked out that I was carrying around my dad’s guilt for him, and that it wasn’t my burden to bear. I actually thought I was on top of it, which is pretty hilarious in retrospect. It took everything blowing up with Simon for me to realize that I’d been working so hard trying to avoid my mother’s fate that I’d almost married a man I didn’t love.”
    Reid ’s hand tightened around her ankle again, and she forced herself to look up and meet his eyes.
    He looked ... shaken. And also a little confused. She smiled ruefully. Apparently she’d done such a great job of convincing herself she loved Simon that she’d convinced the world, too.
    “ You look like Scarlett did when I told her. She actually argued with me. Tried to convince me I was wrong, that I was mad about him,” she said.
    “ I thought you were. When he asked you to marry him... you were happy.”
    His gaze searched her face as he tried to understand.
    “I was happy. He was safe, right? He wasn’t going anywhere. He wasn’t some outgoing, foot-loose, fancy-free raconteur like my father. He was a history teacher.”
    She almost laughed at her own naivety and stupidity.
    “So you’re not...?”
    “ Heartbroken? No. I’m hurt. He betrayed my trust. I feel stupid, humiliated. But my heart is fine.”
    There was a profound silence as they looked at one another.
    “That’s good. I mean, the rest of it isn’t, but that part is good.” His hand slipped free from her ankle, releasing her.
    “ Yeah. And that stuff at work last week? My Incredible Hulk impersonation? That was me starting to realize how badly I’d almost messed up my life.”
    Reid nodded, processing. “I can see that.”
    “ I made myself a promise when I worked all this out the other night. No more playing it safe.”
    “ Right. Which brings us back to the motorbike.”
    “ Yep.”
    He looked out at the lake, clearly chewing something over. “Promise me you’ll be careful on the damned thing, okay?”
    “ Yes, Mr. Dalton.”
    He shook his head at her.
    “Such a smart ass,” he said.
    “ Thanks. I’ve been taking lessons from this guy I know.”
    “ Sweetheart, that attitude is all yours, and you know it.”
    They were both smiling, and something shifted between them. Suddenly she was very aware of how little they were both wearing, and the fact that they were utterly alone. Reid’s smile faded and he looked out at the lake again, a frown on his face.
    “ I might see if I can catch up on a little sleep,” she said, settling back onto the blanket. “All that cider and food has made me sleepy.”
    “ Good idea.”
    She settled back onto her towel pillow, and this time she fell into a true drowse, warmed by the sun and Reid ’s concern.
    He cared about her. He might be leaving soon, but he cared about her.
    She had no idea how long she dozed, but gradually she came back to consciousness. When she opened her eyes, Reid was standing beside the blanket, stretching his arms high over his head, his skin burnished by the sun. She blinked as she gazed up at six -foot-two of rock-solid muscle.
    It was almost enough to make you believe in the gods of Olympus, it really was.
    “ You up for another go?” Reid asked when he realized she was awake.
    “ Sure am.”
    She stood,