The sun finally slid completely past the mountains, and the stars winked into existence, their reflection sparkling in the smooth ripples of the lake. The smell of pine, wildflowers, and hay that always surrounded the Harrington resort was almost hidden beneath the aroma of barbecue and beer. It mingled with the sweat and suntan lotion of bodies who’d spent a day in the sun and water—a day celebrating community—while Maisey had spent the day anxiously worrying. The unfairness of it pissed me off.
As I stepped into my gear, my mind should have been on the potential fire danger. Instead, all I could think about was Maisey and the danger to her life.
I grabbed my lid, tucked it under my arm, and slammed the storage compartment on the engine shut before peering around the cab once again to reassure myself Maisey was still sitting right where I’d left her. I groaned inwardly when Delilah blocked my view.
She was in a red-white-and-blue sundress that flirted with her knees. Her dyed mahogany hair was drawn back in a graceful bun. It was hopeless to think I’d escape her, but I also didn’t want Maisey worrying about whatever conversation I was having with Delilah, so I stepped back into the shadow of the engine. I leaned up against the truck as Delilah crossed her arms in front of me.
“I’m tired of you and Maisey pointing fingers at me, Beckett.”
For two seconds, I felt bad for doubting her. Delilah was messed up, but she’d never really harmed anyone but herself.
“I’d say I was sorry, but the truth is, I didn’t know who else to look at, Del. And I’d do anything to protect Maisey. Anything. I’m hopeful aftertonight—tomorrow at the latest—it should be over, and we can all just put this behind us,” I explained.
She studied the lake before turning her face back to me. Then, she sighed and moved to lean up next to me against the truck.
“I didn’t get it, you know,” she said. “I knew she loved you, but I didn’t get how much you loved her right back. I guess I wanted to believe the act you put on about having no interest in any kind of long-term relationship. And I guess whatyoudidn’t understand was how tempting that act was to us mere mortal females.”
Surprise shifted over me. Seeing it, Delilah shrugged and gave me a wry smile, as if I’d said something witty when I hadn’t opened my mouth at all.
“After all, what woman can resist the challenge of changing a self-proclaimed bachelor into a lovesick fool? I thought if I could just get you to spend enough time with me, I’d have you on your knees, declaring your love. But that was never going to happen because you’d already given your heart to Maisey when we were kids.”
“There’s never been anyone else for me,” I told her truthfully, knowing that even those words couldn’t adequately express the full depth of my love for Maisey.
Silence dropped down between us for a long moment.
Delilah inhaled deeply and then asked, “So they found out who drugged her dad?”
I wrestled with telling her the truth, because if Maisey’s guess was right, both Delilah and Carter were in the clear, but I wouldn’t bet Maisey’s life on it. I’d let the cards fall where they would, and Del could hear about it later
“Captain. You about ready to head to the lookout spot?” Tejas asked, coming around the truck.
I stepped away from the engine. “Yeah. Give me two seconds.”
He moved off, and I looked down at Delilah.
“I’m sorry if I ever led you to believe we could have been more than friends, Del.”
She shook her head and grimaced. “You didn’t. I can’t count the times you told me you weren’t interested.”
The sadness in her voice brought back the teenager I’d found under the bleachers. The one with blood pouring from her wrists, who’d sobbed that no one loved her. That no one would ever love her. She’d gotten better at hiding it, surviving with it, but Delilah was still carrying those wounds with her, just like I’d carried my childhood traumas with me. I hoped she could get past whatever her version of the smoke was to truly open herself up tosomeone.
“If I hadn’t already given my heart to Maisey, Del, you would have been at the top of my list.”
She scoffed. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Beckett, but you and I both know that isn’t true.”
“If you can’t believe that, then at least believe this—there is absolutely someone out there for you. Someone who’s going to fall on their knees just like you want, adoring you for your relentlessness and determination. Someone who will return all that love you have in you.”
She put a finger to the corner of an eye, as if holding back tears.
“Is there any hope of you turning your thing with Carter into something more?” I asked, even though I hated the idea of her with him. Even if he was in the clear when it came to what was happening with Maisey, he was still a smug bastard. A slick and oily creep who, according to Maisey, was using drugs.
Delilah laughed. “No. He’s worse than Dad when it comes to keeping his dick in his pants. He’s someone you scratch an itch with, but not someone you want to be the father of your children.” She looked out at the lake. “Plus, I think he’s going to be hightailing it out of town soon. Carter was counting on you and Lewis selling your properties to him for the Meadow Lane development he had planned. He said he had a sure way to get you both to sell, but you didn’t. Now, Carter is running scared because he has no way to pay back the loans he took out from Lorenzo Puzo. And we both know how the Puzo family deals with unpaid debt. I’d be shocked if Carter is not in Mexico by morning.”
Every single breath left my body. Had Maisey been wrong? Was this actually Carter? Desperate and afraid?
Fuck.
Fear coursed up my spine. I stepped around the front of the engine, frantically searching the bleachers for Maisey. My heart nearly stopped when I found the spot where she’d been empty. Andie was still there, laughing and chatting with Francois, the resort’s head chef. But no Maisey. No Vader.