“You only like him when he agrees with you.”
“That’s not true.” Susannah grinned. “I had a huge crush on him in high school. We even dated for a month.”
“You what?” Ryan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “When?”
“Spring of senior year.” Susannah’s eyes twinkled. Actually twinkled. “We decided you wouldn’t like it so we kept our relationship a secret from you.” While Ryan tried to wrap his head around his sister and best friend dating, Susannah continued. “Do you hate me? Or Paul? Are we less trustworthy because we kept something from you all these years?”
Ryan saw right away where she was going. “Of course not,” he snapped, but couldn’t ignore a tiny blip of discomfort. The feeling faded quickly, but there was no denying that his perception of Susannah and Paul had altered minutely. “And what Zoe did was so much worse.”
“Was it? She planned to do something and didn’t. In high school Paul and I actively spent a month lying to you and have kept you in the dark ever since.” Susannah paused, giving him a moment to absorb her point. “Your relationship with Zoe progressed faster and farther than any before it. You’ve probably been feeling a bit exposed and insecure, but latching onto her mistake as an excuse to dump her so you avoid getting hurt?” Susannah shook her head. “Not cool, brother.”
“I need to think about it.”
“Don’t think too long. She needs a hero to rescue her from that wretched ex-husband of hers.”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Paul and I have some ideas how to make that happen.” Susannah’s expression was positively devilish. “And to put an end to Everly’s revenge plot once and for all.”
* * *
Zoe started as a knock sounded on the back door leading out to the parking lot. She wasn’t expecting any of her artists to stop by to pick up their inventory and the next person who popped into her mind was Everly. Although she was tempted to ignore the summons, curiosity poked at her and she went to open the door.
“Ryan?” Her lungs seized as she stared at him, buffeted by longing and regret. “What are you doing here?”
“Susannah told me you were closing the store and leaving Charleston.”
A lump formed in her throat, preventing her from speaking, so she nodded. He looked so wonderful standing there with his dark hair tousled and his gray eyes somber and concerned. She clenched her hands into fists to keep from throwing herself against his wide chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing her misery on his strong shoulders.
“Do you want to come in?”
“Thanks.”
The instant he stepped across the threshold, she knew she’d made a mistake. Overwhelming despair swamped her, bringing tears to her eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, turning away. She dashed moisture from her cheeks, but it was just as swiftly replaced with new tears.
“Zoe.”
It was just her name, but the throb of emotion in Ryan’s voice sent her anguish spiraling ever deeper. Over the last year she’d spent way too much time pondering all the poor choices she’d made. Yet, the entire list of regrets didn’t equal her remorse over what she’d done to lose Ryan’s trust.
When his hands closed over her upper arms, she covered her face with her hands and nearly doubled over as raw pain bloomed in her chest. She wished he wasn’t being so kind. His anger she could face without breaking down, but his compassion twisted her inside out.
“Ah, sweetheart, don’t cry.” He pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry.”
His apology shocked her into laughter. “Why?”
Ryan spun her around and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “Because I overreacted when you told me what you’d
been up to.”
She gulped in several ragged breaths before she could speak. “You didn’t.”
“Everyone disagrees with you.” He pulled her back into his arms and set his cheek against the top of her head.
Zoe resisted his warm embrace. She couldn’t reconcile how angry he’d been at their last meeting with this loving, forgiving man. What had transformed his attitude in the days since she’d shown him the video? Zoe knew Susannah had gone public with Jefferson’s affair, and that must’ve taken a toll on the entire family. Yet Ryan’s twin had graciously reached out to Zoe. And forgiven her. Why did she believe Ryan would do anything less?
Because her perceptions of Ryan had been poisoned by Everly describing him as vindictive when crossed.