Dare watched her storm into his bedroom and he headed for the balcony. He looked down at the garden below. Breathed deeply. Tried to get his head together. It didn’t work; if anything he felt more confused. Was she telling the truth or was she lying because she thought it was what he wanted to hear?
When he heard his front door slam that old sick sensation from his childhood returned and he gripped the balustrade in front of him and told himself that he’d done nothing wrong.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THAT WAS SOMETHING he was convinced of right up until he’d snatched up his helmet and straddled his bike, intending to hit the open roads. Which was when the sick feeling was replaced with a sense of hollowness.
She’d left him. She’d really walked out. And why? Because she had an unreasonable temper. No man in his right mind would want to put up with that. And what had she expected him to say after he’d seen her return Beckett’s necklace? After the way Beckett had smiled at her? The way his cousin had laughed at him?
All Dare had wanted was the facts. What the hell was wrong with that? Nothing—that was what.
Except obviously there was, or he wouldn’t be feeling this hollow. This empty. Nor would he be sitting on his stationary bike, breathing in petrol fumes in his underground garage.
Dare grimaced. From the moment he’d met her Carly Evans had twisted him up and turned him inside out until he hadn’t known which way was up. But not anymore. If she didn’t want him then he didn’t want her either. Only he did...
He shook his head. He needed to get home. Home to the Smokies. Whenever his father had gone off chasing rainbows Dare had usually spent a couple of days camping amongst the raccoons and bears. Not that he’d ever seen a bear. Much as he’d tried. Sometimes he’d been so hurt he’d wanted to fight one with nothing but his bare hands. During those times he’d felt as if he could have ripped a bear’s head off.
But why couldn’t he take what she said at face value? He knew the answer: people often said one thing and meant another. His father was a case in point, but there had been others. Other women who had said they loved him, but really they had loved his money and status.
But how would he know if Carly had told him the truth? The fact was a man could only really ever rely on himself. He knew that.
He shoved the helmet on his head and kicked the stand up. First he’d go for a ride to clear his head, and then he’d stop off at the hospital before heading to the office. God knew his PA didn’t know what to make of all this time he was having off. Then he’d think about what to do about Carly.
Right now though, right now he was too humiliated to contemplate it. And why wouldn’t he be? If their situation had been reversed, if she’d discovered a woman’s earring, or say a pair of panties wedged down the side of his sofa he wouldn’t mind if she gave him the third degree. In fact, he’d expect it!
Not that he’d probably see her all that often. Not once he returned to the States next week. Because all that baloney about loving her? It was called hot sex. Hot sex that had fried his brain and had him building castles in his head, not unlike his father had done with his scams.
Dare shook his head at his own gullibility. Then he pulled out his phone and punched in her number. When she didn’t answer he gritted his teeth and left a message, ending with instructions to call him.
Shoving the phone back in his pocket, he roared out of the garage and headed for the hospital.
Unfortunately his mood hadn’t improved much by the time he pulled up. When he didn’t find a missed call from her it turned a little more grim.
He barely took any notice of the hospital staff and visitors who scrambled to get out of his way as he stalked through the hospital corridors. Then he wondered if she would be waiting for him in Benson’s room, to apologise to him for being so unreasonable.
That made him smile. If you could call the twist of his lips a smile.
He paused outside his grandfather’s room, took a breath and pushed open the door.
Other than his grandfather, reclining in bed watching the TV, the room was empty.
As soon as he saw him, Benson clicked off the TV.
‘Dare.’ The old man’s eyes watered and he brusquely cleared his throat. ‘It’s good to see you.’