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"I know," he said,a step toward her "Would it help if I said I have no idea what you’re talking about?"

The lazy smile returned The one that always had the ability to make her stomach flip over a couple dozen times

"I wanted to welcoreat you’ve been successful with your books Even though I’ain"

Noasn’t the only one as confused, she thought He wanted to talk about her books?

"You deserved it," she retorted "And technically I haven’t killed you at all"

"Then why do your victi rese about" Which was a lie

"Right"

The sain as he took another step toward her A step that put hio I was a jerk," he said "I admit it and I’m sorry That’s what I came by to say"

"What?" She dropped her hands to her hps and glared at hi that happened the last time I came to town you want to talk about that?"

His eyebrows drew together "What last tio, I came back to speak to you Instead I had a very aard conversation with your wife You were out of town Then I received your letter a few days later"

The frown deepened "What?"

She wanted to shriek "I came here to talk to you To tell you about Tyler I saw Rayanne, who said you were out of town About ten days later, I got a letter fro to do with either of us To stay away froretted it"

The frown turned into an expression of diso was stupid andmy wife into your stories"

She stiffened "Stories? You think I’o You wrote me a letter I still have it"

He shook his head "I didn’t write you a letter You didn’t see--" He hesitated "I don’t know if you saw Rayanne or not I could have been traveling I saw you in town earlier today, so I caaze sharpened "Who’s Tyler? Your husband? You’re hts andit impossible to pick just one The early past intruded first--re her how much she’d once loved Ethan How he’d convinced her to trust hiiven herself to hiht, by the lake Desperate eh to make her first time not hurt, and he’d held her when she had cried

They’d planned on her joining hiether in Fool’s Gold was impossible Not that his family was especially rich, but because they were respectable So Liz Sutton could never be

She remembered him and his friends at the diner where she worked after school How his friend Josh hadEthan with her As clearly as if it was happening right now, in front of her, she recalled Ethan’s discomfort He’d said she was a piece of ass--but not anyone he could be interested in He’d denied her, had denied them She’d heard every word

Maybe if she’d been older she would have understood why he’d said what he did Or if he’d been er, he could have stood up to his friends Instead he had hurt her and she’d reacted She’d walked over to the table, picked up the chocolate ht him only minutes before and thrown it in his face Then she’d walked out She’d quit her job, packed a bag and run away to San Francisco

Three weeks later, she’d figured out she was pregnant