The Favor

“Not if she feared dealing with blowback from me. This way, she got to hurt you without suffering the consequences—she’d prefer that over backing down completely. I’ll bet she’s at her parents’ house right now, expecting you to turn up any second in tears carrying a suitcase full of your things. She wouldn’t want to miss the show. Heather can’t stand the thought of you being happy. She wants to ruin this for you. She tried to convince me to leave you, but it didn’t work, so she decided to try to make you leave me.”

It made sense, and yet I wasn’t sure I agreed Heather was the mastermind. It could have as easily been one of the other people so intent on coming between me and Dane.

I sighed and dropped my head, so fucking tired of people trying to play me in one way or another. And, of course, they were no doubt counting on that, the bastards.

Dane stepped closer and palmed my nape. “I swear to you, Vienna, if you’d asked me where I’d been those nights, I’d have told you. I just didn’t think you cared.”

That made my throat ache all over again. I doubted he thought anyone would care much about what went on in his life, not even his relatives. The Davenports weren’t a family in the truest sense of the word. I’d have cared where he’d been, but I’d given him no reason to assume that, so he wasn’t at fault for thinking differently.

He also wasn’t at fault for someone having sent me that flash drive, and it was time I stopped making Dane pay for their actions. I was better than that. And I wasn’t going to give them what they wanted and walk out on him.

As if sensing my capitulation, he slowly and carefully took the suitcase from my hand. “Let’s take this back up to your room. Yes?”

My shoulders drooping, I lifted my head and nodded. “Okay,” I whispered.

He squeezed my nape and pressed a kiss to my temple. “That’s my girl.”

No, I wasn’t his girl. Which was part of my problem, but that wasn’t his fault either.

Dane shepherded me up the stairs and into my room. He helped me unpack my case, and I wondered if he wanted to ensure that I couldn’t dash out with it the moment his back was turned.

Although I wasn’t feeling all that hungry, I let him talk me into joining him downstairs after I’d changed into my sweats. We mostly ate our dinner in silence, but it wasn’t an awkward silence; wasn’t filled with things left unsaid.

Afterward, he took my hand and said, “Come on.”

I frowned. “Where are we going?”

He didn’t answer. He simply led me outside, past the patio and pool, and over to the wooded area behind it. He tugged me through a slim, easy-to-miss opening in the tall hedges. I felt my mouth drop open as we stepped into a water woodland garden. There was a Japanese-style bridge, pretty waterfall, artfully weathered sculptures, decorative stones, flowering trees, and vividly colorful flowers.

Tucked within the grove of trees, it was cut off from the rest of the lavish landscape, making it feel like a secret pixie garden. It was so cozy and restful and Zen-like. A place where someone even as stoic as Dane could unwind and just shut off for a while.

“This is amazing,” I said.

“Yes, it is.” He tugged me over to a bench that was positioned within a vine-covered arch. He sat down and patted the spot beside him in invitation.

I lowered myself to the bench, finding it surprisingly comfy. I glanced around once more, only then noticing the gnarled, moss-covered tree and the elegant water fountain. “I could sit out here for hours and just … be. Or read.”

“Feel free to come out here whenever you like.” He curled his arm around me and drew me closer, so I rested my head on his shoulder. It wasn’t wise to be close to him like this, but I’d lecture myself about it tomorrow.

He didn’t talk or even pull out his cell phone. He just sat there, silent but so solid. Again, there was nothing awkward about the silence. It was more like we were both just absorbing the peaceful atmosphere around us.

Lulled by the floral, earthy scents and the relaxing tinkle of the small waterfall, it wasn’t long before tiredness settled over me—that emotional rollercoaster ride had taken a lot out of me. Closing my eyelids, I leaned a little more into Dane, knowing and not caring that I’d fall asleep right there. Fingertips danced up and down my arm, surprisingly relaxing, and I soon drifted off.

The fog of sleep thinned slightly when I sensed myself be lifted. My eyelids briefly fluttered open, and I saw that dusk had almost fallen. I was cradled against Dane’s chest, and he was walking. Drained and relaxed, I didn’t move a muscle; just let him carry me, my mind so hazy the whole thing felt very dreamlike.