Rein In (Willow Bay Stables #3)(18)

He sighed. “Please.”

I blew out a breath that jostled the strands of hair that framed my face. “Fine.”

Wells held out a hand to help me up, but I didn’t take it. Instead, I clumsily climbed to my feet on my own.

“By the water?” he asked.

“Sure.” I shrugged.

I followed him down the beach until my feet were walking in the water.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” he began, and I fought against rolling my eyes. “It was a mistake, and I miss you.”

Stopping, I turned to face him. “Listen, Wells. You’re not a bad guy.” He smiled, and I shook my head. “You cheated on me and that sucked, but I forgive you.”

His hand reached out for mine, but I pulled mine away.

“But just because I forgive you doesn’t mean anything has changed,” I said. “I’ve moved on.”

His calm fa?ade slipped. “You’ve moved on?” he hissed. “With who?”

I put my hands on my hips and sighed. “You need to let this go.” I looked at him with more sympathy than he deserved. “Don’t make this into a bigger deal than it needs to be.”

He worked for my dad, for crying out loud. That’s how we’d met a little over a year ago, in fact. It seemed to me it was in his best interest more so than mine to forget this ever happened. He needed that job.

“It’s that guy isn’t it?” he groaned, throwing his arms into the air. “From the parking lot that day.”

I frowned.

“That goth freak,” he snapped and took a step toward me.

I’d humored him too long. Turning back toward the grass, I started to walk away.

He grabbed my bicep and I stopped.

“Let me go,” I whisper-yelled.

He leaned in closer. “It’s him, isn’t it?”

I yanked my arm and he released me.

“Don’t come crawling back to me when he knocks you up or kills you,” Wells hollered at my back as I walked away from him.

“What was that all about?” London asked.

She was standing at the end of her towel with her lips pressed into a frown.

“Nothing.” I grabbed my bag and started shoving my towel inside. “Let’s go.”

“Aurora.” She reached out for me.

I froze. “Not now.”

“Okay,” she conceded.

I packed our things into her SUV in nearly record time, while London put Christopher in his car seat in the back.

Grabbing a dress, I yanked it over my head and waited for her in the passenger seat.

“That guy is a real piece of work,” London scoffed, climbing behind the wheel.

“You don’t even know him!” I practically tore her head off on the spot.

She stopped midway through closing her door and frowned at me. “Wells?”

“Oh.” I felt my heart rate go down just a little. “Him, yah. He’s a jerk.”

I felt London’s eyes on me as I stared out the windshield, and after a few seconds, she finally closed the door and started the engine.

“Who did you think I was talking about?” she asked.

My sister was incredibly perceptive and I wore my heart on my sleeve, which didn’t help.

“No one,” I lied.

She put the air conditioning on full blast and turned to face me in her seat. “I heard what Wells said, Aurora, and I won’t pretend I didn’t. Who is he talking about?”

I groaned and rubbed my face with my hands.

“His name is Rhys,” I said to the floorboard of her car.

“And?” she urged. “Where did you meet him?”

The pounding of my heart started up in my head and my palms got sweaty. “At work.”

She paused for a second. “Is he a volunteer?”

“No.”

“Is he a friend of Grant’s?” She knew what the answer would be, but she asked anyway.

“No,” I repeated.

Her lips pressed together and I could feel the concern rolling off her in waves.

“Why was he in jail?” London’s eyes narrowed on me.

I didn’t want to tell her.

I didn’t want her to judge him.

“Aurora.” She used the mom voice she’d nearly perfected.

“Assault with a deadly weapon.” It sounded like someone else’s voice was saying it, not mine. “And…” I trailed off.

“And what?” she pressed.

This was where I would lose her. She didn’t know him like I did, not that I knew him well, but that didn’t matter.

“Attempted murder,” I whispered as low as I possibly could.

Her hands came down on the steering wheel. “Jesus, Aurora!” she shrieked. “Attempted murder? Are you serious?”

I pulled my knees up to my chest, and she looked into the backseat to make sure she hadn’t woken Christopher with her outburst.

“Does Dad know?” she hissed.

“Of course not,” I snapped. “We just kissed.”

“You kissed a convicted felon on the mouth?!” Her eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head.

“Well, technically, I kissed him and he ran away, but yah, we kissed. I don’t even know if he likes me,” I murmured.