She grimaced. “God, no.” Her eyes met his. “But I know I’m going to miss you when you go.”
Warmth spread through his chest, blossoming into a feeling so wonderful he couldn’t describe it with words. He needed this woman, more than he could ever express.
It scared the shit out of him.
He gave her a tight hug and turned her toward the firewood. “So what’s with the fire pit?”
Her face fell in disappointment that he didn’t reciprocate but she quickly recovered her composure. “I thought the girls would like their wine around the campfire.”
“It’s pretty cold. I don’t think they’ll last very long out here.”
“I overheard them talking at breakfast about wanting to experience Eureka Springs in the winter. Wine around the fire pit has long been a tradition at the Bella Luna.” Kate shivered and crossed her arms as a gust of winter wind played with her hair. “I remember when I turned sixteen, my mom let me have my first glass of wine.” She grinned, staring at the cold fire pit as if seeing a past memory come to life again. “We had a full house, and that night we sat around the fire and had cocktails.”
“Your mom sounds like she was pretty special.”
A sad smile touched her lips. “She was. She was my best friend.”
“Sounds like you had the perfect life.” Quite the opposite of what Braxton had grown up with.
“It was until…” Kate bit her lip.
“Until what?”
“Until I met Tom. I brought him home and Mom immediately didn’t like him.” Kate let out a rueful laugh. “I didn’t understand why. Tom was charming the entire time. I thought my mom would adore him. Boy, was I wrong. After he left, she told me that there was something about him she didn’t trust.”
Braxton listened. As a bartender, he was used to having intoxicated women confide their secrets to him. More often than not, he would half-heartedly listen while trying to make sure they had a designated driver to haul them home.
Not with Kate. He wanted to know every detail about her life. He couldn’t stop listening to her if he tried.
“What happened?”
Kate winced. “I got into an argument with my mom. I couldn’t believe that she wasn’t happy that I’d found someone who adored me.” She bit her lip and glanced away. “I was such a bitch to her that night.”
Braxton took her hand between his palms. “I can’t ever imagine you being a bitch.”
Misery fell across her face and she shook her head. “I was definitely a bitch.” She blew out a breath. “I continued seeing Tom—against my mother’s wishes, of course. Our relationship was never the same.” She cleared her throat. “We were arguing about Tom the night of the accident. She lost control of the car and ran off the cliff. I lived and she died.”
“Oh, God, Kate.” He pulled her into his arms. She could have been killed. Just the thought tipped at his heart. He ached for the pain she still carried. She melted into him as if soaking up his strength. He wanted to take away every painful memory and give her a life of happiness and joy, but he knew that was impossible.
They were impossible.
Weres only mated other Weres. Sure, they could date or have sex with humans, but they never mated humans. Never.
When Damon met Ava, he didn’t know she was a Were. Maybe Kate was a Were, too, and she just didn’t know. If Kate were a werewolf, he would be able to smell it now that the silver had left his system.
He inhaled deep. Her sweet scent of snow covered evergreen filled his head. His heart dropped in his stomach, his last thread of hope snapped. She didn’t carry the scent of wolf. No, Kate definitely wasn’t a Were. There could never be a future for them.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you all this.” She smiled a little as she swiped the silent tears off her cheeks with the pads of her fingers, unaware how his heart had just fractured into irreparable shards.
“Don’t be. I’m glad you shared that.” His throat tightened. “I wish I’d had that kind of relationship with my mom. Sounds like your mom loved you fiercely.”
She nodded. “She did. All mothers do.”
Braxton snorted and released her. Bleak childhood memories settled on his shoulders. “Not all.” He cleared his throat, embarrassed that he hadn’t been raised in the kind of love that Kate had grown up with.
Her hand brushed his arm. “All mothers love their children, Braxton.”
Braxton swallowed. This was one topic he wasn’t ready to discuss with anyone, let alone Kate.
“I need to go see what Damon’s up to. I think those writers are making him nervous.” He made his way toward the house.
“Braxton?”
He stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”
“We’re not finished with this conversation.” She cocked her head. “And just so you know, my mom would have loved you.”