Chapter 51: Their Date

“You kissed back,” Jake said like a small child trying to prove something wasn’t his fault.

He was right. Chelsea had responded to him. “I know. I, uh.”

His gaze became earnest. “What? What are you afraid of?”

As if he hadn’t hurt her ten long years ago. As if she didn’t compare every man since to him, good or bad. “What am I afraid of?”

“Valid question,” he pointed out.

“You can’t figure it out?” She almost shouted it. “You left. Without a word.”

“Okay.” He paused. “I called.”

She stood in the water, her hands on her hips. Was that good enough after all they’d been to each other? “A call? You thought a phone call would do it? Dammit, I gave you my heart and you dropped it like a hot potato.” She wanted to reel the words back in. She hadn’t wanted him to know how badly she’d been hurt.

His gaze didn’t waver. “You would have left me behind eventually.”

That again. “What? How can you say that? I loved you.” Maybe I still do.