All Summer Long (Fool's Gold #9)(89)

She had no idea how long she stayed there, crouched and in pain. After a while, she felt gentle hands brush against her back. Heidi and Annabelle urged her to her feet, then helped her inside. Once she was seated on the sofa, she covered her face with her hands and sobbed until there was nothing left. Nothing but a future without the man she loved.

CHAPTER TWENTY

“YOU DIDN’T HAVE to come back,” Dominique told her bodyguard. “I called the agency and released you from your contract. You’re free to go protect someone who actually needs your services.”

Justice prowled the living room of her suite, as if confirming no danger lurked. “I wanted to say goodbye.”

She laughed. “Hardly. We only worked together a few days. You’re not here because of me at all.” She tilted her head. “So what brings you back to Fool’s Gold?”

His gaze settled on her face. “There’s someone I might want to see.”

“Someone? Or a woman?”

He stopped in the center of the room. “A woman.”

“Tell me about her.”

One corner of his mouth turned up at the corner. “I don’t think so.”

“Ever mysterious.”

“It works for me.”

“But she is here. The woman you’re afraid to see.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“What’s her name?” Dominique asked.

He hesitated so long she didn’t think he would tell her. But he finally spoke. “Patience McGraw.”

Dominique raised her eyebrows. “She’s a hairstylist here in town. A lovely young woman. Former girlfriend?”

“Not exactly. I knew her a long time ago. When I was young.”

The story was getting more and more interesting, Dominique thought. “You grew up here?”

“I lived here a couple of years when I was a kid. I doubt Patience remembers me.”

“You’re not the kind of man a woman forgets.”

“I wasn’t a man back then.”

“Still. I suspect you were memorable.” She smiled. “I’m stating a fact, not flirting.”

His expression relaxed. “I know. I’m not your type.”

“So about your friend Patience. Now what?”

“I have to leave on an assignment. She has a life. I shouldn’t bother her.”

“I doubt she would see you as a bother. You should speak to her before you go.”

He shook his head. “I have to go to South America now. For a job.”

Dominique wondered why he was waiting. Fear? Anticipation? “But you wanted to see her one last time before you left?”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Which means yes. So you’ll see her and she won’t see you. I hope you don’t change your mind about coming back. You need some time in this town. It will heal you.”

“Who says I need healing?”

“Anyone can see it in your eyes.”

His gaze narrowed. “I liked you better before you were insightful.”

“Now you’re lying. I’m much more interesting these days. I don’t know why it took me so long to pay attention to other people. They’re endlessly fascinating. So flawed, but determined.”

He walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “Goodbye, Dominique. It was a pleasure.”

“I hope I see you again soon.”

He only nodded and walked to the door. He let himself out.

Dominique stayed on the sofa, thinking about what she would do with her day. She needed to make a visit to the dance school. Being around the students was so refreshing. A few of the girls had actual talent. She should talk to the parents and make sure they had plans to continue their daughters’ dance education. There was also a—

Someone knocked on her door.

She rose and crossed the living room. “Did you forget something?” she asked, opening the door and expecting to see Justice.

Instead, Charlie stood there. Her daughter’s face was pale, her eyes red and swollen. She looked as if she’d been crying. Worse, she seemed almost small.

Without thinking, Dominique held out her arms. Charlie surged forward and let herself be held.

* * *

CHARLIE CURLED UP on the sofa as best she could. Sometimes being tall was a pain in the ass. Right now she wished she was small enough to simply disappear. She fought feelings of shame, along with a sense of being broken in such a way that she would never heal.

She knew she’d been a fool and that she had no one but herself to blame. But that didn’t take away the hollow ache inside. The pain she felt with every breath. The loss that was so big, it threatened to swallow her whole.

Dominique sat beside her on the sofa, angled toward her. She didn’t speak or ask questions. Instead she passed tissues and plied her with single malt Scotch. It might only be eleven in the morning, but Charlie was well on her way to being drunk.

After Heidi and Annabelle had helped her inside, she’d cried until she had nothing left. Halfway through her explanation of what had gone wrong, she’d realized she needed to see Dominique. Annabelle had driven her over. The true measure of a friend, she thought. Doing what was right for the other person.

“It’s Clay,” Charlie said at last, wiping her eyes with a balled-up tissue and wishing she could stop crying. “It’s over.”