The Last Letter(112)

“You live on the back twenty-five of Solitude that I sold two years ago.”

“Yes.” He said it so easily.

“This is where you went?”

“After we broke up?” he clarified.

I nodded slowly. “When you checked out, and Colt told me your stuff was gone, I asked Hailey if you’d left any forwarding information.”

“I didn’t.”

“I know. That’s when I assumed you’d gone back to the army.” Like two of the other men I’d loved.

“I didn’t leave any forwarding information because I figured you’d call the station. It never occurred to me you’d think I’d actually leave you and the kids after I promised you I wouldn’t.” He sighed, rubbing his face. “Then again, I did lie about who I was, so...”

He was right. We both knew it.

“I didn’t like the way we’d ended things. I’d ended things,” I amended.

“Neither did I,” he answered softly.

“You didn’t call.”

“I tried that first week, but you didn’t answer. I figured you meant it when you told me you didn’t want to see me again.”

“I’m sorry. I never should have said that. I tend to…overreact when it comes to lies, and…”

“And build a fortress around the kids,” he finished my thoughts, reciting my own words from our letters. “I understood, and I deserved it. It’s not like you didn’t warn me in your first letter, right?”

God, the man knew me so well, and I hated the feeling that I didn’t know him.

“You don’t have any furniture.”

His eyebrows rose at my change of subject. “Just in the bedroom and the kitchen. Not that I mean to imply anything. I just needed a bed. For sleeping. Just sleeping.” His shoulders rose, and he tucked his thumbs into his jeans. “And the kitchen, of course. For eating. Because it’s a kitchen.”

The way we both awkwardly navigated the conversation would have been funny if seeing him didn’t feel like he’d just ripped my heart out and watched the final beats.

“Why? Why don’t you have furniture?”

“Honestly?”

“Yeah. I think we have enough lies between us, don’t you?” I winced. “That wasn’t called for. I’m sorry.”

“Feel free, I deserve whatever you want to dish out.”

“The furniture?” I reminded him to get the heck off that topic.

“I bought what I needed. I’d always planned on letting you pick out the rest, and afterward…well, I didn’t really care. I should probably get a living room set before football season, though. It’s a little awkward to eat all those snacks in bed.”

The kids raced down the wide steps that curved to the second story. “Isn’t it great, Mom?” Maisie asked as she flew by with Colt on her heels. Man, that girl rebounded so fast. Havoc stopped by for a quick pet and then chased after them.

“Wait until you see the rec room!” Colt told her, and they were off down another hallway.

“Did she even say hi to you?” I asked with a small laugh.

“Yeah, I got a huge hug before Colt took her upstairs to see the bedrooms.”

“How many are there?” Not that I needed to know.

“Six. Five here, and a suite above the garage.”

“Wow. Big.” I shook my head. “Please don’t make a that’s-what-she-said joke.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” His smile was breathtaking and heartbreaking.

As usual, everything with him was so effortless and easy, but now it was excruciatingly difficult, too.

“Okay, it’s none of my business, but you built this? You own the land I sold?” I’d seen it being built and kicked myself for selling the property every time I’d spied the construction crew. Luckily, the island hid it when I was home, so I’d been able to ignore it.

“I had it built over the last seven months or so. For you.”

I forced my lungs to draw air when they were obviously averse to the idea. “For me.”

“You said no lies.” He threw a grin over his shoulder. “And it was the biggest choice I’ve ever made.”

“You bought the back twenty-five two years ago? I thought it was an investment company.”

“It was. Ryan asked if I’d be interested in an investment property. I agreed and gave it to my finance guy to handle, since we were overseas at the time. He’d been after me to diversify, so I did. Well, he did. I just signed the papers once we got back after that tour. I didn’t realize they were your acres until I was already here.”

“And you didn’t tell me. Don’t you see a pattern?”

“Nope. There are secrets, and there are surprises.”

“You own the back twenty-five acres of my property!”

“Actually, only the back four acres. Go ahead and check with the county. I deeded all the land except four acres for the house over to you. Oh, and there’s an easement for the road. Hope you don’t mind.”

“You gave it back?”

“Except the house. I mean, yeah, I built it for you, but for me, too. And it’s cool if you want the house, but I come with it. Now come get some of this food. I can put it on plates and wrap it up if you don’t want to stay. There’s no pressure.”