Rushing inside the car and locking the doors, she tried to catch her breath. This was her first real relationship. It was personal. Private. Her eyes glazed and stung with unshed tears as her privacy once again felt violated.
She was helpless to stop the rumors and exaggerations of the truth, knowing full well people assumed he’d somehow taken advantage of her when no such thing had happened. But people were going to spin her life whatever way made it the juiciest gossip.
She hit her steering wheel and cursed. Her stare turned toward Town Hall and she glared at the building. She wasn’t mad at Rhett. But he hurt her. He left her there, standing alone on the staircase, facing those vultures and her dad.
She considered how many times Rhett must have felt this way. As the mayor, he stood in a constant spotlight. It was no wonder that he liked to keep his private life private. Perhaps she’d been wrong to pry into his secrets.
Tipping her head back, she stared at the roof of her car until a tear slipped past her lashes. She was so confused.
He came off as this protective man and she trusted that sense of security. Had that just been another stupid mistake she could chalk up to her younger age and inexperience? She’d always assumed she’d be safe with Rhett. Maybe that was what hurt most—her misjudgment.
She took about fourteen unnecessary turns to get to the mansion, taking the longest way possible. But, in a town the size of Jasper Falls, there were only so many detours a girl could take.
When she pulled up, she didn’t see his SUV. She did, however, see Erin’s car, which might have been worse.
Reluctantly, she went to the front door and used her key to let herself in. This time, she had the novel experience of being the one to catch Erin off guard.
“Skylar!” Addison yelled and rushed over to give her a hug.
“Hey, cutie! I missed you.” And she truly had. The familiar weight of Addison in her arms and the soft scent of her curls sent her emotions spiking in every which direction, and Skylar had to put her down so she didn’t start crying again.
She pouted and popped two chubby fists on her hips. “Where have you been?”
“I…” She didn’t want to lie to Addison, but this was one of those tricky situations that kids shouldn’t have to understand. “I was helping my grandmother.”
“Miss Maureen?”
“Yes.” She ran a hand over Addison’s hair, finding it matted in the back and knotted. “How come you’re still in your PJs?” Her shirt was stained with something purple and her feet were bare and dirty.
Erin approached, arms crossed over her chest as she observed Skylar with a cold stare. “You know, you shouldn’t just let yourself into someone else’s home, especially now that you no longer work here.”
Skylar narrowed her eyes. She’d never know for sure, but she was almost certain Erin had been the one to delete the message from her professor. When she looked back, it arrived on the same day the PA showed her the toy Addison wanted online.
“I just came to get my stuff.”
“You’re leaving?” Addison gasped. “No, I want you to stay!”
She crouched down and looked her in the eye. “Just for a little while. After the holidays I’ll come back for a visit.”
Addison’s brown eyes magnified under a wall of tears and she flung her arms around Skylar’s shoulders, squeezing tight. “I don’t want you to go.”
In that moment, she considered that her heart may be able to survive men, but she wasn’t sure she could survive this. Blinking back tears, she hugged Addison’s little body, then forced herself to let go.
“Is your daddy around?”
Addison shook her head. “He won’t be back for a few days.”
Confused by her answer, she frowned. “Where is he?”
“Go get a soda, Addison.”
Skylar met Erin’s icy stare and the woman practically sneered as Addison disappeared toward the kitchen. “You didn’t honestly believe you were the only woman in his life, did you?”
Skylar wasn’t going to be bated or play her games. “Where is he?”
“That’s private information. All I can say is that he isn’t here.”
“Not with me,” Skylar stated, helpfully pointing out what Erin so eagerly wanted to make clear. Then she cocked her head with unmistakable pity and said, “And not with you.”
Erin drew back with a quick show of artificial confusion and scoffed. But she didn’t deny Skylar’s accusation and all it implied.
She was done letting this woman make her feel bad. “As a matter of fact, Erin, he’s never been with you or taken any interest in you on a personal level whatsoever. You’re just someone on his payroll. And no matter how much you try to abuse me or make me believe I’m unwanted, it won’t make a difference, because he tells me I am. When he holds me and stares into my eyes, he whispers things you can only dream of him saying to you. So, I’m not going to let your insecure, passive aggressive comments bother me anymore. As a matter of fact, I’m not even going to think about you. And when I have the unfortunate displeasure of seeing you, the only thing I’ll feel is pity. And that’s more than you deserve, because you’ve spent your life bullying others and showing everyone you’re just a mean, bitter woman.”