She smiled, her heart lightening at memories of their road trip from New Orleans to Galveston. How well they’d clicked. How much better they’d gotten to know each other. They did need to be trapped in a car together for a few hours to sort their mess out.
“I’d like for you to pick me up. If it’s not too much of an inconvenience.”
“I miss you,” he whispered. “So much it hurts.”
That was a great sign that they could work things out.
“I’ve never felt as alone as I do right now,” he continued. “Not even when Sara passed.”
Dawn realized that by damaging his friendship with Owen, he’d lost more than a good friend. He’d lost a family he considered his own. He’d lost an important connection with his turbulent career. He’d lost so much and gained nothing. Over a kiss. Just a kiss. The kiss that shattered his entire world. She wouldn’t let it destroy them as well.
“Things will work out with Owen,” she said, not wanting Kellen to feel the pain that would come if the opposite proved true. Owen was important to him. He needed Owen, and she wasn’t selfish enough to push a larger wedge between them even though she knew how easy it would be to take Kellen all for herself. All she had to do was make him feel guilty about cheating, and he’d be hers, but she refused to break him. He’d been broken too many times already.
“You’re beyond terrific,” he said. “I think I’m starting to have feelings for you.”
The hint of laughter in his voice made her heavy heart lighten.
“Starting? You should be full out in love with me by now,” she teased.
“Oh, I am. I’m just playing it cool. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She was so stunned by his claim that she didn’t answer immediately. Was he in love with her or just teasing? Because she wanted that—his heart. She wanted it more than she was willing to admit.
“Dawn?” he said after an awkward silence.
“See you tomorrow.” She hung up before she did something as stupid as confess her own strong feelings.
Chapter Eighteen
Kellen spent the day in his car. It was only a few hours to the Houston airport, but he needed the time to clear his head. He called Owen every hour or two, hoping he’d eventually wear the guy down or annoy him enough that he’d answer. So far, his plan wasn’t working.
What Kellen wouldn’t give for a time machine. For as magical as that kiss had been, no moment of bliss was worth losing their friendship. He felt like part of him was missing, and he didn’t know how he’d go on with yet another piece of himself taken by someone he loved. He didn’t have Sara’s piece of him back; he’s just finally found a way to live without it. And his grandfather’s piece? Yeah, Dawn didn’t know about that missing piece yet, but he planned to show her during her visit. He told himself that he wasn’t attached enough to Dawn to lose more of himself if she left, but deep down, he knew that wasn’t true. He’d already willingly handed over another piece of himself, and when she left him, there wouldn’t be much left of Kellen at all.
Although Owen wasn’t answering his calls, Kellen did manage to get a hold of Joan, who had moved beyond despair to a place of hope and gratitude that Chad was alive. Chad had made it through surgery, survived the most critical night, and was currently sedated in a hospital in Germany. His commanding officer had been kind enough to video chat with Joan and James while at Chad’s bedside and show them that their son was breathing, that his heart was beating, and though he was unconscious and his body was scarcely recognizable from the damage he’d suffered, that he was likely to recover if no complications arose. When Joan asked why Kellen had called her instead of Owen, he hadn’t told her the real reason. He wasn’t sure how she’d take the news that Kellen had done something as foolish, impulsive, and hurtful as make a move on her younger son when he’d just been stricken with devastating news about her older one. Jane was a wonderful, loving woman, but she was fiercely protective of her sons, as she should be. And as much as Kellen longed to be hers, he would never be her son.
He reached the airport about an hour before Dawn was scheduled to land. Inside the parked Firebird, he pulled on the white T-shirt he’d tossed into the passenger seat over the gift-wrapped box that now seemed trivial, and then he hurried inside the busy terminal to wait. He wanted to make sure she knew he was sorry, sure she knew he’d never meant to hurt her, sure she knew he’d never cheat again. Not with Owen. Not with anyone.
He watched the departures/arrivals board, fixated on her flight data and its “on time” status. When her plane landed, he stood and stared at the spot where she was likely to emerge from the terminal. He knew it would be a while before she could make her way through customs, but he didn’t want to miss his first possible glimpse of her. Had it only been days since they’d parted? It felt like an eternity. His entire life had changed since he’d kissed her goodbye in this very airport, and so had hers. She’d do great with Everlong and Pierre, and Kellen knew how lucky he was that she’d put her career off for even a few days to be with him.
When he spotted her, his breath caught. Her gorgeous, deep red hair was tied back at her nape, accentuating her graceful throat. He wanted to press his face into that neck—breathe her in, taste her skin, feel her pulse race beneath his lips—but he held back, even when her eyes found him and she smiled. He had no right to touch her, to take what he wanted. Not when he’d betrayed her.
She raced forward and dropped her bags at his feet before capturing him in her arms. The leash he’d used to tether himself snapped. His trembling hands rose to cup her lovely face, and he searched her green-flecked eyes for signs of hurt or mistrust. He found none. She looked damned happy to see him. Lucky, lucky man, he told himself as he bent to accept the kiss she offered and he did not deserve.
When he drew away, he held her gaze as he said, “I’m so—”
She shook her head. “Give me a minute to be happy to see you before you remind me of what an ass you were in my absence.”
So she wasn’t going to let him off the hook. He silently thanked her for knowing her worth, for not giving him an easy out. He was so much harder on himself than she could ever be on him. She probably didn’t know she was doing him a favor by holding him accountable for his actions.
“Did you have a nice time in Prague?” he asked, kissing her again before she could answer, because she was beautiful and wonderful and caring and perfect and he just couldn’t help himself.
“I did. Wes followed me there. Did I mention that?”
Wes? Her agent? That seemed odd. “Do I have a reason to be jealous?”
“Of Wes?” When he nodded, she smiled. “Not unless you really wanted to see me perform.”
“Of course I did.”
“He’s happily married. And his wife was with him.”
“Then why was he—”
“To pressure me into signing that contract. Do you think I did the right thing?”