Huckleberry Hearts by Jennifer Beckstrand Page A

“I guess I made some unfair assumptions about you. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
    He folded his arms across his chest. “I’m glad you said something. It’s better than being rejected and not ever knowing why.”
    â€œBut what do you think of me now, a woman who professes to be a Christian but can’t even forgive you for something you did four years ago?”
    â€œSomething I didn’t do four years ago.”
    â€œExactly,” she said.
    â€œWhat do I think of you? I think you have really pretty eyes.”
    She ignored the quickening of her pulse. That was unprofessional and uncalled for and he had completely sidestepped her question.
    He furrowed his brow. “Tell me about the time I yelled at you.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter.”
    â€œUh-uh. Don’t rob me of the chance to apologize.”
    She sighed in surrender. “It was our fault anyway. We shouldn’t have come over.”
    â€œNo one deserves to be yelled at unless the house is on fire,” he said.
    â€œTonya asked me to go to your apartment with her so she could talk to Finn. We stood out on the doorstep in the rain while Tonya begged Finn to take her back. He was pretty cold about it. Tonya made enough noise that you came to the door and started yelling at her to shut up. She was desperate, and I was humiliated. I had to pry her fingers from the doorjamb so you could close it.”
    â€œAt least I didn’t slam her fingers in the door.” He smiled weakly at his own joke and then sobered. “I don’t remember yelling at you, but I’m sorry.”
    â€œIt was four years ago. I should be over it by now.”
    Frowning, he scrubbed his hand down the side of his face. “I must have made quite an impression on you. This really isn’t a good reason, but I lost patience with more than one of Finn’s girls. I was already annoyed with him for starting that stupid club, and I had a hard time studying with girls coming around all hours day or night, either wanting in on the club or whining that Finn had used them.”
    Cassie nibbled on her fingernail. “I suppose I remember it so well because it was my first taste of what the outside world is really like. I was fresh from Bonduel with the silly notion that people believed in things like virtue and purity and self-control.”
    â€œA lot of people believe in those things.”
    â€œIn college, it was hard to find anybody who believed in those things. By my third year, I wasn’t shocked by much of anything.”
    â€œSo I destroyed your faith in mankind?”
    She looked away. “Not single-handedly, no.”
    He furrowed his brow. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
    â€œIt’s not your fault. It’s not even Finn’s fault. I made the choice to leave the protection of my community. I can’t return to blissful ignorance, no matter how badly I’d like to. And sometimes I sorely wish I could.”
    She had definitely said too much. He looked at her as if he knew her, as if they shared some intimate connection that only friends could understand. No matter how polite or handsome or sensitive he seemed to be, Cassie didn’t want to be friends with Zach Reynolds. Even though she liked him better than she had just a few minutes ago, she knew he’d only disappoint her in the end. They always did. “You’re shivering,” she said, sliding his coat off her shoulders. The cold air immediately attacked her and chilled her to the bone. “You should put your coat on.”
    He refused to take it from her outstretched hand. “You wear it. I’m trying to keep you out here talking as long as I can.”
    â€œIt will be a very one-sided conversation if you freeze to death.”
    â€œA small price to pay for your company.” His grin froze when his eyes met hers. “On the other hand, I probably should get going.