She wasn’t surprised by that.
“You owe it to me,” he said next, his tone still light, grinning as she looked up at him. “I have to see him at work tomorrow, knowing that he knows but that he doesn’t know I do.” He rolled his eyes. “Whew. This is complicated.”
He made her smile.
Which made her cry.
She loved him.
And she was about to hurt him so badly.
She loved him.
And she was about to lose him.
* * *
Getting over the initial shock, Flint was filled with undeniable energy. Ready to forge into the future. Taking Tamara in his arms, understanding her emotions as she finally told him a secret he’d had no idea she’d been keeping, wanting her to know that he understood and held no hard feelings. He rubbed her back. Buried his face in that glorious auburn hair. Inhaled her soft, flowery scent.
If ever he could have scripted a life for himself, it would be this one.
He’d known Howard Owens had a daughter, but he hadn’t heard much about her. She’d gone to college. Gotten married. He’d never heard anything else.
He certainly hadn’t known that Howard had lost four grandchildren before they were born. The man he’d thought unemotional to the point of impassive had gone out and bought his unborn grandson a fishing rod. Hard to accept that one—and yet he’d always admired Howard, had wanted to be like him. Other than the older man’s penchant for playing it safer than Flint’s gut told him to do.
And now...here he was, in an incredible relationship with the man’s daughter. Howard knew, and hadn’t told his daughter to run in the opposite direction.
“Flint...”
Sniffling, Tamara pulled away from him. Wiped her eyes. She wasn’t smiling.
He stilled. “What’s wrong?”
Tears welled in her eyes again as she looked up at him.
He didn’t start to sink back to reality, though, until she took another step back. Bracing himself, he waited.
No point in reacting until you knew what you were reacting to.
>
“There’s more. And I want you to know, right up front, that I don’t care anymore.”
Now he was confused. “Care about what?”
Was she telling him she had no feelings for him? He found that hard to believe. She had to be running scared because of Diamond.
A problem, to be sure. But they could work on it.
There had to be a way...
“Whether or not there’s any truth to my father’s suspicions. I should care. But I don’t. I told him that on Thanksgiving Day.” She stopped. Took another couple of steps backward, toward the great room where she’d left her purse.
He was watching her leave him.
He didn’t get it.
“I told him I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go without telling you...”