Liam hugged Mia tighter as though he was trying to make up for his mistake three years ago. “Knowing Mia would be married to my brother. He’s lost all reason... Ryder rang as well, and said he’d heard what had been threatened and not to worry, because it was all threat. He owns Kix outright and he has all the permits he needs to run the bar, and he hasn’t been in breach of any of them.”
“My dad has created one hell of a mess because of what he saw between Liam and me...Jack, you need to go and talk to Thalia,” Mia told me, standing and taking my hand into hers. “I know she still loves you Jack, but you probably broke her heart going off like you did. You need to make this right with her.”
I sighed. “I know. I’m going to head over to the inn. I’ll see you guys later.”
I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t think it was going to be as easy as I hoped.
Chapter 60
Thalia
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I’d stayed standing at the window and watched Jack and everyone leave. They all believed that I’d betrayed them. The pain sliced through me and I felt shattered. Nothing had ever hurt as much. I loved him before, and I still loved him, but I felt as though he’d torn my heart out.
Callie had called Reece on his cell and managed to get some of the story out of him. I knew I hadn’t been responsible for what happened, and couldn’t believe Jack believed what he’d been told. He never even bothered to ask me. Just presumed. That’s what broke my heart the most; what I couldn’t get out of my head. I hadn’t been thinking about what he’d accused me of, just the fact he hadn’t trusted me.
Sitting at the window in Callie’s room, I just wanted to walk over to the bed, curl into a ball and cry my eyes out. My heart was shattered.
Callie had made us both reservations on a flight to San Antonio, for later tonight. She’d told me that I needed some Texan hospitality to try and get over what had happened with Jack. The thing was I didn’t think it was going to be that easy to forget, because when I left I’d be leaving part of my heart behind.
In the few weeks I’d know him and been with him, Jack had become an integral part of my life and I’d been looking forward to living with him when we returned to college after the summer. To see where our relationship led – but no more.
“Thalia, you need to eat something, and don’t tell me you aren’t hungry. I heard your stomach grumbling,” Callie said walking back into the room with sandwiches and sodas.
I wiped my eyes before taking mine from her. “Thanks.”
“What about Reece?”
My friend blushed, and I mean blushed. Okay, she had my curiosity piqued, with my offhand comment. I seriously hadn’t expected that kind of reaction. I needed a distraction. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush that shade before, so spill.”
“Ugh. You’re not going to let it go are you?”
“No. I also need to think about something else for a while.”
“Okay...I’ve spent a night with him.”
My eyes widened. I knew they’d done something after her mentioning them giving her four orgasms, and Reece having a piercing, but all night. She never spent the night with anyone.
“He’s a really nice guy. Under all those tattoos, which are hot as well as his pierced, um, well you know... Last night I found out he has someone else, Dahlia.”
She looked sad. “Callie, what happened?”
“Dahlia rang him this morning. He climbed out of bed with no word to me, at all, and left...we both knew I’d be leaving after the wedding and that it was only casual, you know. But it hurt. Him leaving like that, to go to her, when he’d convinced me last night there was nothing between them.”
I honestly didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know Reece that well, but I wouldn’t have thought he would do something like that.
“Then perhaps it’s just as well we’re heading home. I need to contact Liam, if he’ll talk to me, and tell him I had nothing to do with what Lewis said. I also want to wish him well for Saturday. I can’t believe he’s getting married in two days.” I laughed. “Who’d have thought all this shit would happen this summer...I wish I’d gone to Texas with you instead of coming here. Then my heart wouldn’t be breaking,” I whispered.
“You don’t know that, and can you honestly tell me you wish you hadn’t met Jack? I saw you with him, you were so different, he was perfect for you...Please don’t get mad with me, but I think you need to go and find him, and tell him you had nothing to do with Lewis. I know all about your pride, but you love him.”
“No. I’m not going there...I’m not hungry, maybe later. I need to go for a walk.”
She stood up with me. “I’m coming.”
“Thanks.”
Callie slipped her feet back into the cowgirl boots she’d removed as soon as she’d come through the door, and then opened the door again. We walked downstairs in silence while I quickly wiped at a stray tear, I opened the front door of the inn and came face-to-face with Jack.
His hand was in mid-air about to knock on the door. He looked just as shocked to see me, as I was to see him.
He tried to pull himself together, running his hands through his hair, which he did when he was stressed. “Thalia,” he said, his voice breaking.
He started again, “Thalia, can we talk? Please.”