Shock rocked Vaughn back on his heels. Benita. She was staying in Trinity Falls. Their last bitter argument and every horrible thing he’d said to her came back to him. His face burned with shame.
“When?” He could barely form the word.
Darius frowned in thought. “About a week before your musical.”
Helplessly, Vaughn turned to his friends. They didn’t look surprised. “Why didn’t someone tell me?”
“We thought Benita wanted to tell you.” Jackson shrugged.
Vaughn imagined her sitting on his sofa the day they’d had their final argument. She’d glowed with happiness. He’d thought it had been about the theater producer.
“She probably had.” Vaughn clenched his teeth. “I’m such an idiot.”
“No arguments here,” Darius agreed.
“What are you going to do?” Jackson asked. Vaughn looked blindly around the parking lot. His mind was shooting off in a million different directions. Panic gripped him. “I’m going to apologize. But I’m not sure how. I’ve got to make it good, though. Something tells me I’ll only get one chance.”
CHAPTER 31
Running footsteps sounded behind Benita on the jogging path in Freedom Park Tuesday morning. She shifted to her right, allowing room for the other person to pass on the inside of the trail. She’d moved back to Trinity Falls but was keeping the safety tips she’d picked up during her three years in Los Angeles.
The other jogger didn’t pass her, though. Instead, his long, lean presence remained on her left. “Morning.”
At the sound of Vaughn’s voice, Benita stumbled over nothing. Vaughn’s hand shot out, catching her upper arm to steady her.
“Thanks.” Benita glimpsed his sweat-darkened navy T-shirt and black running shorts. Her gaze paused on the black knapsack on his back. What was that about?
“Are you starting or almost done?” Vaughn asked the same question Benita had gasped when she’d arranged to happen upon him on the trail two months earlier.
“Starting.” How many of these encounters will I have to survive before they stop hurting? Would they ever stop hurting?
“So am I.”
Benita scowled at the path in front of her. They both knew she was stuck with him. It wasn’t as though she could speed off. Vaughn could outrun her in his sleep.
Benita drew a deep breath, inhaling the scents of grass and earth. The late-June weather was warm and sunny. There were a few other joggers and walkers—familiar faces now—on the broad dirt path. They exchanged nods and smiles of greeting, everyone from the speed walkers to joggers and hard-core marathon trainers. Another difference between Trinity Falls and L.A.
“What. Do you. Want?” Benita refused to look at him. Seeing his sweat-dampened T-shirt clinging to his torso, knowing she couldn’t touch him would hurt too much. She had the answer to her question whether his mesmerism was deliberate or a product of his charms. It was definitely his charm. He couldn’t fake this.
“I thought we could keep each other company while we jogged.”
Was he kidding? She couldn’t take this. She just couldn’t.
“Please. Leave.” Benita wiped moisture from her eyes. Was it sweat or tears?
“Benny—” His voice, laced with concern, was muted beneath the pounding in her ears.
“Please.” Benita slowed. She couldn’t battle the jogging trail and Vaughn. She didn’t have the stamina.
A familiar path came into view on Vaughn’s left. He took her wrist and tugged her along. “Come with me.”
“No.” She pulled against him, but she might as well not have bothered. She felt like the animated character Gumby following in Vaughn’s wake.
He pressed a button to pause his stopwatch as they moved deeper onto the path. Benita didn’t want to admit her gratitude when he slowed to a walk. They traveled past mostly white ash, beech, and big elm trees, and only a few evergreens. It was quieter here. She heard the birds singing from the treetops and the rustle of squirrels and chipmunks in the undergrowth.
Benita dug in her heels. She was nearly face to face with the old oak tree on which she and Vaughn had carved their initials so many heartaches ago. “I don’t want to be here.”
“We can stop now.” Vaughn faced her. Just looking at his handsome features and knowing they could never be together tore open her heart.