Southern Bombshell (North Carolina Highlands 5)

She smiles for real this time. “You’ve been wonderful to my dad and me. I know better than to hope us breaking up won’t affect the good thing the three of us have going, work-wise, but I do hope you won’t hold it against him. I don’t think it’s any secret you’re the son he never had.”

“You have my word,” I say firmly. “Y’all have been good to us. You came to our rescue, and I’ll never forget that. I really do hope we can stay friends.”

Reese nods, reaching out to take my hand in hers. “I’d like that.”

“Is it supposed to be this easy?” I run my thumb over the back of her hand. “Are we missing something?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Another sign we’re meant to be just friends?”

Her smile touches her eyes. “Yes. I appreciate you listening, and I definitely appreciate you not freaking out.”

I give her hand a squeeze. “I appreciate you being honest. Even if my dad is going to shit a brick.”

“I forgot about your dad.” Her expression gets serious again. “Want me to talk to him? I’ll make clear that breaking off our engagement was one-hundred-percent my idea.”

I wave her away. “I’ll handle him. At the end of the day, our families are still business partners, and that’s really all he cares about—the money.”

“I know it’s hard being his son.”

“Think of it this way—be glad you jumped the Kingsley ship, because now you don’t have to deal with him as a father-in-law. He’s a nightmare.”

“What can I do?”

Shaking my head, I drop her hand. “You don’t know any hit men, do you?”

It’s her turn to laugh. “I don’t. But I will take care of canceling all the wedding stuff, and I’ll foot the bill since it was my call.”

“Reese—”

“Please.” She holds up her hand. “Let me do this. It’ll make me feel slightly less like a dick.”

“You’re not a dick.”

“I bet your dad will beg to differ. I got it.”

“All right.” Not gonna lie, the idea of not having to interact with Milly again makes me feel a fresh burst of relief. It’s better this way for everyone. I feel like every time I show up in Milly’s life, I only end up causing damage.

“Another thing,” Reese says slowly. “I know it’s been a while since we . . . you know—”

“Did the dirty?” I say lamely, trying for a joke.

Reese has the grace to laugh. “Yes. I want you to know I’d have zero hard feelings if you, like, went out and hooked up with someone this weekend. Yes, it’s been that long, Nate. You know it, and so do I. I’m sorry.”

She’s not wrong. But how would I feel if she went out and hooked up with someone else tomorrow?

I wait for my chest to light up with jealousy and rage. But instead, I feel . . . nothing.

Wow.

A beat of silence settles between Reese and me as we look at each other. It’s not the last time I’ll see Reese, but it’s the last time I’ll walk into her condo as her significant other. As relieved as I am at the sudden clarity her choice has given me, it’s also bittersweet. There’s a reason I fell in love with her. Many reasons, actually. Even though I see now that love has faded back to the friendship that started it all, I’m still going to miss her.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for in Charleston,” I say.

She stands, signaling the end of the conversation. “I wish you the best, Nate. If you need help cleaning up the mess I just made—”

“Reese, you don’t owe me a damn thing.” Standing, I look her in the eye. “I’m serious. We’re even, all right?”

She frowns. “You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

She wraps me in a hug, her head tucked against my chest. “Thank you, Nate. For being you. I hope you find someone who deserves your awesomeness.”

Ha. If only Reese knew how not awesome I actually am. She got the best of me, sure. It was easy to be good to her because I wasn’t worried about my family hurting hers. The Nobles are our partners, and my dad was okay working with them as such.

But the Beauregards? He’s been out to destroy them since the day he was born. Which made being good to Milly impossible in the long run.

I pull Reese close and press my lips to the top of her head. “Take care, my friend.”

“You too.”

My heart twists when she pulls away. She gently removes her ring from the fourth finger on her left hand and holds it out to me.

“But it’s yours.”

She shakes her head and reaches for my hand, uncurling my fingers so she can place the delicate ring in my palm. “It was never meant for me. Goodbye, Nate.”

I walk out of Reese’s apartment with a two-carat diamond in my hand and a hollow feeling inside my chest.