Page 73 of Wild Heart

It wasa good thing we were scheduled to leave Keystone Mountain the following morning after a family breakfast.

I was convinced I wouldn’t have survived much past that point.

I’d woken up that morning—wokenbeing a term I was using loosely, considering the fitful night of sleep I’d had—and everything rushed back. The words Tate had said to me, him turning me down for a dance, him leaving with Francesca, and him coming into my room that night to tell my sleeping form how sorry he was for having fucked up.

I wanted to burst into tears all over again, but I knew that would likely make things worse. As it was, I had to find a way to explain my puffy, swollen eyes.

Lingering in the room for as long as possible, feeling nothing but sadness and misery, it was no surprise when a knock came at my door, and Ivy walked in. “Hey, how are you feeling this morning?”

“Terrible,” I answered honestly.

“You look like you didn’t sleep much. I came in to check on you when I got back, but it looked like you were out,” she said.

“Yeah, I think I was in and out of it all night.”

“Any idea what’s wrong?” she pressed.

I shrugged. I couldn’t tell her the truth. It would only put everyone back into a state of misery, and I refused to do that to the rest of the family again. “I wound up vomiting in some bushes not long after I made it outside last night, so something didn’t agree with me.”

Technically, I was telling the truth, even if I wasn’t exactly elaborating on what it was that had led to the nausea.

“Oh, God. That sounds terrible. Do you think you’re going to be up for breakfast this morning?”

I really didn’t want to go. But when I considered the alternative, I figured it was the lesser of two evils. Because if I didn’t join the family for breakfast this morning, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Tate would have made his way to the bedroom. It was better if I didn’t wind up alone with him. The buffer of others would be a benefit.

“I think so. I’ll probably just steer clear of any bacon.”

She laughed. “That’s not a bad idea.”

“How was the rest of your night?” I asked as I stood and moved toward her.

“I had a blast, but not an ounce of luck with meeting a guy.”

I wanted to tell her that she was better off that way, because if my experience was anything to go by, it was far more heartache than it was worth. But instead of dashing her hopes, I decided to be a bit more supportive. “One day, Ivy. I know you’re going to find him.”

“Well, I’m certain it’s going to have to be that way with me finding him, because I’m not convinced that he’s out there looking for me.”

I offered a half-hearted smile before the both of us walked out of the bedroom and descended the stairs to have breakfast with the family.

The moment we stepped into the dining room, my eyes landed on Tate. The words he’d said to me last night filtered through my head for what felt like the hundredth time.

I fucked up, Ava.

He fucked up. Just days earlier, he’d been sitting in that same seat at the table with me right beside him, and he’d brushed his lips against mine. And last night, he fucked up. The pain I felt was indescribable.

And it was only by some miracle I managed to swallow past the hurt and step deeper into the room.

“Good morning, Ava. How are you feeling today?” Jules asked.

“Morning, Jules. I’m okay. Not as bad as last night.”

“What happened last night?” Malcolm asked.

I shook my head as I conveniently chose to sit in the seat beside Jules. “I wound up feeling sick a while after we left here last night. And my apologies to Mina, her family, and staff, but I got sick in some bushes outside.”

“Oh, wow. Any idea what happened? Are you feeling okay now?”

“My stomach is a little queasy, but it’s better than last night. Something left me feeling unsettled, I guess.”