The Darkest Secrets
Page 23
She ate her cake and drank some coffee as she absorbed this. It was a crazy story, but it made sense. It was abnormal for her to skip work completely. She would be worried if he did the same thing. Yet he had been acting strangely since they got the case.
“I don’t know,” she said. “It just seems a little suspicious.”
“What do you mean?” Genuine confusion played across his eyes, but she had been tricked before. Could she really trust him? Could she trust her own instincts?
“Well, it just seems convenient that you were able to find me so easily. That you knew where Everett lived and that I’d be there.”
“You’d been going there all the time, so that’s why I assumed it. I asked someone where he lived and, in the end, I wasn’t wrong. You did go to him. You told him everything you didn’t tell me. You ran to him, not your friends.” He looked hurt now, looked away from her. “I’m sorry for breaking into your house, but the only thing I can be accused of is being overprotective.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Yet it still felt like he was keeping something from her. It just didn’t all fit.
“But see, that’s the problem. You’ve been off since I met with him. Upset that I’ve gone to him instead of you. It just makes me wonder if...” She looked at Trent, and she almost couldn’t say it. But she couldn’t lie to him and he wasn’t going to let this go now. “Well, I mean, you were watching over me a lot, wanting me to go to you with things, knowing where I am. You were suspicious of Everett from the start. It makes me wonder if you knew he was the bad guy all along. It makes me wonder if maybe you knew because you were part of it. Maybe you and Gabe worked for Brett, which is why you wanted me to touch base with you on things. Why you worried about Everett. Why you kept such a close eye on me, in the guise of being overprotective.”
It was a bit of a relief to share her deepest fears, to get them off her chest. Yet it was also hard to see him like this with his face red, eyes devastated. He leaned back in his chair, shocked and at a loss. He shook his head.
“Amelia, I…I know you’ve been through a lot, so I’m trying to be understanding. But I just can’t believe you’d accuse me of something like this. Of being a criminal.” He looked up at her and what she saw struck her dumbfounded. “I care about you so much. I would never hurt you like that. I’d never betray you. You’re so important to me.”
“I want to believe you,” she said. “It’s just…you have to see where I’m coming from. It seems like you’re keeping something from me.”
The silence that followed was worse than anything he could’ve said. Confirmation of her fears. Or maybe he just hated her. After this accusation, she couldn’t blame him if he did. The worst thoughts flooded her mind. She had tried to work on that with her therapist, work forgotten under the heat of the moment.
“I am keeping something from you.”
Amelia had tried to prepare herself for this, she had tried to create distance. Still, she felt the world fall out from under her. His eyes widened as he reached for her hand. Despite everything, she let him take it.
“Don’t look so sad, Amelia. It’s not bad, at least I don’t think it is. It’s certainly not something to worry about. I just…” He caught her gaze as a wall hovered between them. “I love you, Amelia.”
Complete shock crashed through everything else.
“That’s why I’m overprotective, that’s why I got so jealous of Everett. It’s why I tried so hard to find you. I’m in love with you, Amelia. I always have been. I would never betray you. I only want to make sure you’re happy. Safe. That’s what I’ve been keeping from you.”
At first, Amelia couldn’t understand it. But as the shock wore off it was a perfect explanation, and it wasn’t like this overprotectiveness had started when Everett entered her life. It’d only become more prominent. Trent had been acting strangely lately, but he was kind of always like that.
She squeezed Trent’s hand as she looked up at him, her friend. A man she had always known. It was scarier to trust him than it had been to trust Everett. A betrayal by him would hurt worse. As she looked at him, she knew it was her fear of being hurt and not him that was the problem, that he truly cared about her.
“I am going to resign,” she blurted out. His face paled as he took his hand back.
“Amelia, I’m sorry. You don’t need to do that I…”
“It’s not because of you!” She laughed and took his hand again. “I promise. I have been seeing a therapist and working really hard on what I want out of life. I’m going to use some of my inheritance to start my own private detective agency. Take on cases that really matter to me. Cases that I can investigate my way. I want that money to finally do something good.”
“That’s wonderful!” He smiled. “It seems like this time away has been good for you. I only want what’s best for you, even if I will miss you.”
“Well see, I was thinking…” She smiled, this no longer so scary to her. She was actually looking forward to it. “How do you feel about Florida?”
“Florida?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Florida,” she said, nodding her head. “I have learned a lot the last few months, and life is way too short to not follow your dreams, so I was thinking maybe we could have a fresh start. Why not live in paradise if we have to chase bad guys? I am sure you can get a job there without a problem. Maybe go on a proper date or something so I can see how I feel about this. If it doesn’t work then, hey, we are still friends, and we live in paradise.”
“I would love that. You have no idea how many times I’ve envisioned this.” He laughed. “How many dates I have planned. You’re in for something special, Amelia. I promise you that.”
Who really knows what the future will bring? Amelia only knew that she wanted Trent to play a part in hers.
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Also by Heather Wynter
What She Didn’t See
Coming Soon:
The Unfound Ones
Run From Me
About the Author
Heather Wynter grew up in California, where she still lives with her two dogs and three cats which she lovingly refers to as her zoo. She’s a sucker for any period drama and a good romance. When she isn’t reading or writing out what is in her wild imagination, she’s probably at Disneyland or traveling around the globe. You can connect with Heather on Facebook at facebook.com/heatherwynterauthor or on Instagram @heatherwynter. You can visit her website, heatherwynter.com, to sign up for her newsletter, filled with information regarding new releases, bonus material, and a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card in a monthly drawing.