Page 19 of Wrecked By You

I huffed in and out breaths and tried to figure out how to tell her this. “I wanted to marry you. Dang, woman, I wanted to marry you since we were five. You were my best friend. But if you remember that day, you’ll remember that I asked if you would ever want to settle down with me and have kids, and you said no.”

She took the painting gloves off her hands and rubbed her hand through her hair. “I didn’t know you were asking me to marry you,” she sputtered. “I thought we were just talking. Like could I ever handle that. I was kind of going through something big in my life. My dad was getting sentenced. Do you remember?”

I stared at her, and then I just felt sad. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I shouldn’t have come.” I started walking back around the house toward the front. I didn’t know where this leftthings, but I sure as hell didn’t know why I felt like I was to blame for all of it.

“Wait, Damon.” Isla moved toward me, and the woman was prettier than she’d ever been. She looked skinnier and fiercer than when she’d left town. She blinked and seemed confused. “Damon, I’m sorry. I thought about those times so much, and I made a lot of mistakes. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that your wife left you. I truly am. You’re one of the good ones.”

Adrenaline spiked through me, but I didn’t know where this left us. Once again, attraction sizzled between us.

I did want to know about her and what had happened, but there were walls up, and there was a past to dig through. I lifted my hands. “I’m offering to help you get this place painted. We don’t have to talk. It’s your choice. I can walk away. Heck, I’ll go fishing.” I tried to make it a joke, but she didn’t really take it.

She sucked in a long breath and then said, “I need to apologize for all those years ago. Because I was messed up. I said I couldn’t ever get married. Then you got married and I was jealous. When Kyle came around and showed interest in me, I was flattered. And after I got pregnant, Kyle told me we should go to Texas. He had a job lined up, and it would be amazing. It sounded so romantic to just elope. Especially because I could not see my mother helping me with a wedding. But as you know, it didn’t work out with Kyle.”

My heart raced. “What did he do to you?”

She shrugged. “Got drunk often, blamed me … anything. Hit me. Pushed me.”

Anger shot through me like adrenaline.

She put a hand up. “I divorced him.”

“And I said very mean things to you when you told me you were leaving.”

She looked down. “You did.”

“I’m sorry. I wish I could have taken it back. It’s just … You acted like you couldn’t have a relationship, and then you told me you’re pregnant with Kyle’s child and getting married. I just felt hurt, and I was stupid.”

She nodded. “Well, you gave me gummy bears and I forgave you.” Her tone was soft.

I felt grateful. “Thank you. Can we start over?”

She looked tired but nodded. “If you want to be my friend again, then I can deal with that.” Her lip curved up. She was teasing me.

“I do.”

For a long time, neither of us said anything. I didn’t know how to navigate this situation.

A thought occurred to me, and I asked a question I’d been worried about. “You think he’s after you?”

“Not sure. He’s a tad crazy. Left a dead puppy on my porch the day before I drove here.”

The mental image made me feel sick. I wanted to teach this guy a lesson.

Her gaze drifted off into space. “I probably shouldn’t have even come back here. I don’t know. I had no idea my dad would be getting out.”

I wanted to hold her, comfort her. “Of course you should have come here. Hopefully, your dad won’t get out. If he does, we’ll deal with him.”

She turned back to me, and tears filled her eyes. “We?”

I wanted to hug her, but I didn’t think she would want that right now. “We. I’m in this.”

She sniffed, and a tear fell down her cheek. “Thank you.”

My heart fluttered. I knew that I was starting to feel all kinds of things for this woman again, and I didn’t know how to keep boundaries. I couldn’t tell her anything about my feelings. I had to be her friend.

“Sheesh, I hate being a charity case.”

“Stop it. You’re not a charity case. You’re an official dispatcher for Refuge Falls.”