“Maybe Shane started the rumor to get the horse’s price down.”
She laughed. “I doubt he would do that.”
Clay studied her. “So you’re one of those, are you?”
“One of what?”
“A woman who thinks my brother has principles.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t?”
“No. I’m messing with you. Shane’s a good guy.”
Which was an opening to a conversation she’d wanted to have with someone. Maybe Clay would help her out.
She walked toward him. Khatar followed.
“Can I ask you something?”
Clay put one foot on a railing and studied her. “Am I going to like the question?”
“I don’t know.”
He shrugged. “Go ahead.”
“Am I like the infamous Rachel?”
Clay’s perfect mouth twisted. “If you are, you need to get the hell out of my brother’s life.” He swore under his breath. “Has she been around?”
“Not that I know of. I’m sorry to bring her up. It’s just she seems like a constant presence in Shane’s life. He’s judging me by her.” She leaned against Khatar. “The first time Shane saw me, I was dancing on a bar. I wasn’t drunk.” She explained about the dance of the happy virgin. “I guess because of his ex, it made him wary. I want to know what she and I have in common.”
“From what I’ve heard, almost nothing. Rachel…” He rested his forearms against the top railing. “Rachel lived big. She was always going and doing. Pretty enough, I suppose. But she knew how to attract men. All men.” He looked at her. “Rachel wasn’t happy unless every guy in the room wanted her.”
Annabelle swallowed, wondering if maybe she’d started down a path she didn’t want to follow. “I’d heard she cheated on Shane.”
“She didn’t just cheat. If a guy wasn’t paying enough attention to her, she came on to him. She needed to be the center of attention in every situation. She claimed to love Shane, but I don’t think she has a clue what love is.”
Annabelle bit her lower lip. “Did she ever come on to you?”
Clay’s look was hard. “More than once. Rafe, too. We didn’t know what to do. Did we tell him? Did we ignore it? We had no idea if he wanted to know or not. He tried to make the marriage work, but finally figured out it was a lost cause. So he left. She came after him. They got back together. It was a cycle that continued for a few months until he was finally done.”
She thought about her first marriage, about what had gone wrong. Lewis had a lot of culpability, but she’d been looking for more than any husband should have to provide. They were both at fault. It sounded like Shane had been trapped in a situation he would never win.
“Shane’s biggest problem is that he’s a man of his word,” Clay told her. “He wasn’t willing to think the worst of his wife. I would have dumped her the first time she cheated. But he’s loyal and didn’t want to give up on the marriage.”
“He’s a good guy.”
“He is. Which leaves me in the uncomfortable position of wondering if I should ask your intentions.” He grinned. “There’s something I never thought I would say. But he’s family, you know?”
She didn’t know. She’d heard. She’d seen other families. On a personal level, she’d always wanted to belong. She’d wanted it so much, she’d pretended to see characteristics in Lewis that weren’t there.
She looked at Clay. “You sure you want to know?” she asked.
“I can take it.”
She waited for a second, letting the truth wash through her. She’d been avoiding it for a while now, but there was no escaping reality.
“I love him.”
Clay grinned. “That’s putting it on the line. Does he know?”
“I haven’t told him.”
Clay held up both hands. “Don’t think I’m gonna do it.”
“I didn’t. That would be very strange coming from his brother.”
Clay put his hands back on the railing. “He might be a bit of a jackass about the whole thing. Because of Rachel.”
“I’ve already seen hints.”
“Don’t give up on him.”
“I won’t.”
Because she’d finally found where she belonged. Now all she had to do was convince Shane that she was worth a second chance.
* * *
SHANE HEADED TOWARD the house to wash for dinner. He was sorry he hadn’t said he was heading into town. He hadn’t seen Annabelle in a couple of days and found himself wanting to see her and talk to her. He should have asked her out to dinner.
Which he could right now for tomorrow, he thought as he grabbed his cell phone. Just then the alert signal chirped, telling him he had a text message. He pushed the button and read, then grinned.
Miss you. Want to come over tonight?
He quickly texted back, Absolutely. Say when and I’ll be there.
7:30 okay?
Perfect. See you then.
He walked into the house grinning.
Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)
Susan Mallery's books
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