Page 55 (1/2)

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She wanted to hit his off Clara had And he’d left Left! “You asked ainst his chest, anger and hurt co in her belly “Why would you do that?”

“Clara asked me to leave”

He said it so matter-of-factly that she stared incredulously at him “You couldn’t have taken the time to talk to me? To tell me the truth?”

“No”

She let his answer digest “What about when you came to my dorm? Why didn’t you tell s off…”

“What would knowing have changed, Aht?”

Would she have? Probably not on the night he’d come to her dorm She’d been too hurt by that point “Had you coht of the rehearsal, had you toldthen, I would have welcomed you”

“I couldn’t tell you Clara didn’t want your father to know the truth” He glanced away, paused, then added, “For any of you to know the truth”

Anore the fact that he’d let Clara’s wants come between them, tried to understand, but she wasn’t sure she did “Why are you telling me now?”

“Clara released me from my promise”

Clara released hiistered who the e-ripped her trachea and refused to let go “You’ve been e- my sister?”

Was that guilt on his face? Oh, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t keep her hands fro

“I hadn’t talked to her in apore We’ve been in contact since”

Cole hadn’t left her sister Cole hadn’t called off his wedding Clara had Her brain cells fired in a million different directions “Why did you just make love to me?”

“That wasn’tlove, Amelia That was sex, and it shouldn’t have happened Not with so much at stake”