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“Okay,” Brett said, his eyes on Jack “You’ll get my kids out on the water?”

“Got it covered” Jack’s hand was on her elbow “We’ll see you guys in the ”

Donovan let Jack lead her outside, and she turned her face to the sky, drinking in the ht and the millions of stars that blanketed it

“Watch your step,” Jack said gruffly when she stumbled over a knotted root from one of the trees that lined the path

They trudged back to the boathouse and then up the steps that led to Jack’s cottage in silence, Coco following in their steps, the dog unnaturally quiet Donovan supposed the little creature sensed how sootten, and she was more than happy to settle into silence

Once inside, Jack crossed over to the bar and scooped up a bottle of scotch and nothing else He turned without a word and headed back into the night

For the longest tireat roo at her heels She was so messed up Sad and scared and, well, she was also mad as hell

She was

She glanced up at her room, the one that was farthest away fro on her like a stone

BecauseDerek McKenzie, a night gone wrong, and her past control her She was mad because she’d let someone like Cooper Simon dictate her future

S

he thought of what Sabrina had said, and she was ashaht And because Donovan Ja for less’ club Hell, she was the president of it Jack Sian to question all of her choices The ones that had led to her breaking it off with hiht it was for the best

At the tiht it was best for Jack But really, with the long lens of time behind her, she knew she’d done it because she was a coward, and that it was not so much about Jack as it was about Donovan

What did that say about herself, that she illing to throw their love away? Did itto sacrifice all just to save him? Or was it to save herself? And if so, from what?

And what did it say about that night…that night she couldn’t exactly reht with Jack The night she’d had more wine than she should have?