Two of a Kind (Fool's Gold #11)

They walked to the truck. Carter slid into the rear seat. Felicia climbed into the passenger seat as Gideon took the wheel. None of them spoke.

The drive up the mountain passed in a blur, but as they pulled into the driveway, she realized that she didn’t need to go looking for an answer, that it had been there all along.

Telling Carter she loved him had been a spontaneous moment. A burst of emotion, followed by a complete sense of rightness. She might not be the best mother around, but she was willing to do all she could, to learn, to be supportive and to establish boundaries. She would give her life for him if necessary and pray it was all enough.

Now, as she searched her heart, she discovered she’d also fallen for another person, but in a completely different way.

Gideon. Always Gideon.

From the first moment she’d spoken to him in that bar in Thailand, he’d been a part of her life. He’d made her feel good about herself, had laughed with her, cared for her, taught her and made her feel safe. When she wasn’t sure if she could fit in or where she belonged, she was comfortable with him. Loving him was so easy, she hadn’t recognized the symptoms.

He pulled to a stop in front of the house. She turned to tell him, only to remember they weren’t alone. A quick glance over her shoulder showed her a very sleepy teen who could barely crawl out of the truck.

“Can you punish me in the morning?” Carter asked with a big yawn.

“Sure.”

“Thanks.”

He hugged her, handed over his cell phone and walked inside. She and Gideon followed.

“What’s the cell phone for?” Gideon asked.

“I’m not sure. I guess he’s assuming he’s going to lose it while he’s grounded.” She frowned. “I don’t know what it means to be grounded. I’ll have to do some research.”

Gideon closed the front door behind them. They stood in the living room, not looking at each other. Tension filled the space, making her feel awkward and unsure.

“About what the mayor said,” she began.

“I know what Carter thinks,” he started.

“You go first,” she murmured.

He walked toward the kitchen, then turned back to face her. “The mayor’s right. Carter needs stability.”

Felicia felt herself starting to bubble up with happiness. She was truly going to have it all. A man she loved, a child and a place to belong. Because the town had come through, not just for her, but for all of them. First, with the festival and then, tonight. As long as they lived in Fool’s Gold, they would always have a community that cared.

“This relationship is confusing him,” Gideon continued. “In the morning I’ll explain it was never going to happen. Us getting married. I asked for your help and you were there for me, Felicia. I appreciate that. I don’t want to stand in your way. I know you want to find the right guy and settle down, and that’s not going to happen with me.”

The pain was so sharp it almost didn’t hurt. It was more concept than sensation. But the promise of agony whispered at the very edges of her consciousness, and she knew she didn’t have long until she would be nothing more than an open wound.

“You want me to leave.”

She wasn’t asking a question, and a part of her was surprised she could still speak.

“I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

He was trying to make this about her, to be the nice guy. But it wasn’t and he wasn’t. He wanted her gone because he didn’t believe he could be like everyone else. She’d always known that. Why had she allowed herself to forget?

She remembered telling Consuelo she wouldn’t mind a broken heart. That she would appreciate having been in love and would accept the consequences. Her friend had warned her, but she hadn’t listened. She’d been so sure she would be fine. She hadn’t known what this could feel like.

“We’ll talk in the morning,” Gideon said. “You need to get some sleep. You’re exhausted.”

Sleep? She would never sleep.

“No,” she told him. “I’m leaving now.”

“Felicia, no. It’s late.”

He moved toward her, but she stepped away. She couldn’t stand to have him touch her. No, she thought, shuddering. She desperately wanted him to touch her, and when he did, she would lose the little strength she had left. She would want to beg and plead, to prepare diagrams and flow charts explaining why he was wrong. Why this was so right for all of them.

Carter. She squeezed her eyes shut. She was going to have to tell him goodbye.

She would pack first, she thought. Complete the task and then tell him. She would make it clear he would always be welcome in her life and her home. That he could come stay with her, that they would talk every day.

Tears burned, but she refused to give in. That was for later. For now, she had to keep moving.

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